The penultimate Players Championship event of 2026 gets underway at the Mattioli Arena in Leicester on Wednesday afternoon, with Beau Greaves meeting Peter Wright in a standout opening-round clash. Play begins at 13:00 GMT, with a field of 128 players competing for the £15,000 top prize. The final event of the season follows at the same venue on Thursday.
Greaves currently sits seventh on the Players Championship Order of Merit following an impressive debut season on the ProTour. Wright, meanwhile, has endured a difficult campaign on the floor and enters the final double-header down in 86th position, £8,000 outside the provisional qualifying places for Minehead. Even a semi-final appearance on Wednesday would leave the two-time world champion short of the current cut-off, making a deep run over at least one of the two days essential.
The draw also throws up a meeting between Martin Schindler and Michael Smith, while Michael van Gerwen begins against Martin Lukeman. Luke Humphries faces Archie Self, Gerwyn Price takes on Ryan Meikle and Stephen Bunting opens against Thomas Lovely. Chris Dobey returns to action against Ian White after claiming his third Players Championship title of the season in Den Bosch last Thursday. The former Masters champion defeated Tommy Morris 8-4 in the PC32 final, moving up to second on the Players Championship Order of Merit behind runaway leader Wessel Nijman, who faces Madars Razma in his opening match.
Gary Anderson has slipped to 68th in the standings with £29,750, leaving the two-time world champion £2,000 behind Wesley Plaisier, who currently occupies the final qualifying position. A run to the last 16 in either remaining tournament would earn him £3,000, although that alone would not guarantee his place in the 64-player field. Anderson begins Wednesday against Germany's Leon Weber, while Plaisier takes on Andy Boulton. Josh Rock faces an even greater challenge: the Northern Irishman is 80th with £26,000, needing to make up £5,750 over the final two events. He starts his campaign against Tom Bissell, while Raymond van Barneveld, one place below Rock in 81st, faces Adam Lipscombe. The five-time world champion is currently £6,000 behind the qualification cut-off.
Michael Smith and Gerwyn Price are also not entirely secure despite currently occupying qualifying positions. Smith sits 56th, £4,000 above the cut-off, and begins against Schindler, while Price is 58th with a cushion of just £2,250 heading into his meeting with Meikle. The battle around 64th place is even tighter: Henry Coates is just £500 outside the qualifying positions in 65th and faces James Wade in his opening match, while Razma is 66th and £1,500 adrift. Bradley Brooks, David Sharp and Mike De Decker are among those currently inside the top 64 but still vulnerable to being overtaken.
Two particularly notable absentees are Luke Littler and Nathan Aspinall, who contested last year's Players Championship Finals decider in Minehead. Littler claimed the title with an 11-8 victory, but neither player will return to the tournament this November. Littler's limited ProTour appearances have left him well outside the qualifying positions, while Aspinall's withdrawal from the final double-header has ended his hopes of making up a £5,250 deficit. Players Championship 34 on Thursday will provide the last opportunity to earn qualifying prize money before the 64-player field for the Finals, scheduled for 27 to 29 November, is confirmed.
