How do players get picked for Premier League Darts?

A total of eight players will be chosen for the 2026 Premier League Darts season, with selections made shortly after the conclusion of the PDC World Darts Championship.

The first four players will qualify on performance, with the four highest-ranked players on the Professional Darts Corporation's Order of Merit automatically selected.

The remaining four spots are invitations from the PDC.

While they are not strictly given to the players ranked immediately outside of the top four, they are often awarded to players who are among the most in-form at the time and are deemed deserving of a place in the Premier League for the upcoming season.

For example, current world number one Luke Littler was ranked 31st at the time of his Premier League Darts debut in 2024, but had just finished as runner-up at the world championship, aged 16.

PDC chief executive Matt Porter has previously said they consider "star quality" and people who can "perform on the big stage" so they can entice millions to watch on TV.

He said the PDC considers the past 12 months and considers if the players' game, temperament and brand is ready for the Premier League.

The Premier League is a yearly competition which is hosted by 16 different venues across the United Kingdom and parts of Europe. It takes place on Thursday nights between February and May.

A knockout tournament takes place between the eight players each night, with points awarded depending on how a player performs each week.

The four players with the highest number of points after 16 weeks will play on finals night in London on 28 May, consisting of a semi-final and final.

The winner of that final will be crowned 2026 Premier League Darts champion.

Luke Humphries will enter the season as the defending champion after beating Littler 11-8 in the 2025 final.

This article is the latest from BBC Sport's Ask Me Anything team.