We’re now heading into the biggest tournament of not just the year, but arguably the biggest in darts history…
The 2026 World Darts Championship will have a record darts payout of £1,000,000 in prize money to the winner alongside the highest ever tournament prize fund of £5,000,000.
See also – 10 highest earning darts players in the 2020’s [ranked]
Darts is more popular than it’s ever been, and this huge payout would see any winner outside of Luke Humphries or Luke Littler (the tournament favourites) rise to second/third* in the rankings.
*Depending on how far Luke Humphries or Michael van Gerwen progress.
It’s a huge financial incentive, however, some of the best players in darts are actually heading into the tournament on the back of a year filled with struggles and disappointments at the oche.
We’ve looked at 6 darts players who’ve struggled with performances/results in 2025 and are heading into the biggest darts tournament in poor form and needing a good run!
SEE MORE ON DECENT DARTS
👉 10 highest earning darts players of all time [ranked]
👉 2025 Players Championship Finals: player earnings
Darts Players Who’ve Struggled in 2025
Dimitri Van den Bergh
Dimitri Van den Bergh started 2025 pushing top 10 in rankings and was in the conversation for Premier League inclusion after winning the 2024 UK open and having a number of deep tournament runs last year.
Instead of pushing on with the momentum he built last year, The Dreammaker has taken a complete U-turn.
In April he announced that he’d be taking an indefinite break from darts for health and well-being reasons and ruled out a full-time return to darts.
He’s failed to qualify for the last 5 ranking major tournaments as a result and has dropped as low as 23rd in the rankings.
While he did play most of the Players Championship events throughout the year, even making the quarter-final of PC34, the last event of the ProTour calendar, he doesn’t have the stage form going into the World Championship.
He’s drawn against Darren Beveridge who’s making his Ally Pally debut though so it could be seen as a kind draw for the 2023 semi-finalist.
It’s hard to see him having a deep run this year though and who knows what the future holds for the former UK Open and World Matchplay winner…
Dave Chisnall
Like Dimi, Dave Chisnall came into this year on good form and ranked 6th at the start of 2025.
A couple of European Tour and ProTour titles in 2024 has seen Chizzy consistently picking up titles as he chases that elusive first major title in darts.
See more – Best darts players to never win a PDC major title
Despite making a final at Players Championship 15, Chisnall hasn’t picked up a title for the first time since 2021 and has suffered early round exits in major tournaments.
This also includes failing to qualify for the World Grand Prix for the first time in his PDC career dating back to 2011 and also failing to qualify for the Grand Slam of Darts.
He’s now outside the top 20 in the Order of Merit (21st) and has a tough first round draw against Fallon Sherrock at the 2026 World Championship.
Sherrock hasn’t been in great form herself following health issues and a public break-up from fellow darts player Cameron Menzies. Though gave a confident interview recently on the back of positive health updates.
Related – “I won’t stop ‘till I get one” – Dave Chisnall is determined to win his first major title
Rob Cross
It’s a recurring theme on this list so far…
Rob Cross started 2025 at 4th in the rankings earning the 2018 World Champion automatic qualification to the Premier League.
Since starting his career in 2017, Voltage has never gone a season without making the last 8 of a major tournament. Usually it’s multiple tournaments throughout the year with many including a runner-up finish or even the title.
In 2024 Cross had 4 quarter-final finishes in major tournaments and a semi-final finish at the 2024 World Championship.
2025 has been a disaster by comparison.
Cross hasn’t made it to the last 8 of any major tournament and failed to qualify for the Grand Slam of Darts.
This was the first ‘did not qualify’ for a major ranking tournament in his professional career and despite starting the year ranked 4th, he is now 17th.
Cross is now defending his £100,000 prize money from 2024 and another early round exit could see him tumble down the rankings even further. He really needs a deep run more than arguably anybody else on this list!
Peter Wright
A two-time world champion, Peter Wright has won 7 PDC major ranking titles in the 2020’s.
With his last coming back in 2023 though, Snakebite has been on a gradual decline ever since.
After beating Luke Humphries at the 2025 World Championship and making the quarter-finals, Wright looked like he could get back to his best after a tough 2024 campaign, however, 2025 has been much of the same.
Multiple first round exits in major tournaments and failing to win a title on the Tour for the first time since 2011 has seen Wright drop down to 30th in the rankings and is now dangerously close to dropping out of the top 32 completely.
Aged 55, it’s hard to see him rising back to the top of the darts ladder again during his career, however, the Scotsman has recently vowed to win another world title before he retires.
Read more – Peter Wright states he “ain’t finished yet” and VOWS to win a third world title
Michael Smith
Michael Smith was the 2023 World Champion and world number one just a few years ago.
His decline has been one of the fastest and most unexpected in darts history it could be argued.
After admitting he didn’t take darts as seriously as he should after becoming world champion, a number of unexpected health issues have meant that he is desperately struggling to compete in darts.
See related – Michael Smith admits feeling pressure to win major title for new sponsor
Bully Boy has made it to the quarter-final of the UK Open and Grand Slam of Darts this year, giving fans hope of a potential return to form.
However, these results looked to have been rare peaks in form rather than the sustained results you’d expect to see from one of the most naturally throwers we’ve seen in darts.
He failed to qualify for the World Matchplay, World Grand Prix and European Championship and now finds himself 28th in world rankings.
Read more – Michael Smith provides update on ‘multiple’ injuries
He’ll face Lisa Ashton in the first round of the 2026 World Championship. He needs the result but with this game being scheduled for opening night, the added attention that will be on this match now does not work in his favour!
Michael van Gerwen
Michael van Gerwen is the only player on the list who hasn’t had a dramatic fall in terms of rankings or results.
Still ranked 3rd in the world and having won the 2025 World Series of Darts Finals and made the final of the 2025 World Championship, you could definitely make a case against him being included on this type of list.
By his extremely high standard, expectations, and own admission though, MVG has struggled this year.
After announcing earlier this year that he’s going through a divorce, MVG has had one of the least successful campaigns of his career.
He won the World Series of Darts Finals alongside the German Darts Grand Prix on the Euro Tour but this is well below the winning rate of the second most successful player in PDC history.
See more – 12 darts players with the most major titles in PDC history [ranked]
He suffered multiple first round exits in major tournaments, missed a sizable number of ProTour and European Tour events and even failed to qualify for the Players Championship Finals for the first time in the tournament’s history!
He’s not won a ranking major title since 2022 now and with everyone stating that the two Luke’s are the players to beat in darts currently.
MVG needs a statement title win if he’s to put a stop to the ‘Luke domination’ in pro darts and the 2026 World Championship couldn’t be a bigger occasion for the Dutchman to return to winning ways.
Read more – Michael van Gerwen believes PDC darts ranking system needs to change
Read Next
➡️ Luke Littler gives ‘unbothered’ reaction to 2026 World Championship prize money talk
➡️ Josh Rock believes he isn’t too far away from winning a PDC major title
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