Nathan Aspinall has withdrawn from the final two Players Championship events of the season, ruling himself out of the Players Championship Finals in Minehead. The world number nine was due to compete in Players Championship 33 and 34 this week but pulled out at the last minute, meaning he can no longer break into the top 64.
Aspinall has played in only 13 of the 32 floor events so far, reaching the final at the very first tournament but struggling to make an impact since. He has earned £26,500 in total, placing him 77th in the Players Championship Order of Merit. He was set to fight for his last chance at this week's final double-header in Leicester, but has now decided to skip the final two tournaments. The exact reason for his withdrawal was not known at the time of writing.
His absence means neither of last year's finalists will feature this year. Luke Littler, the world champion, is also set to miss out after playing in only two Players Championship events in 2026, leaving him well short of the top 64. Last year, Littler beat Aspinall 11–8 in the final.
Two other world-class players outside the top 64, Gary Anderson and Josh Rock, will compete in the final two events. They sit in 68th and 80th place respectively, so both will need big performances to qualify for the season-ending event. Raymond van Barneveld, who is 81st, is also chasing one last chance this week.
Gian van Veen had also withdrawn from the final two events earlier. However, the decision has little impact on the Dutchman, who is already assured of a place at the Players Championship Finals in 43rd place in the rankings.
