Premier League Darts 2026: Luke Humphries has sights set on back-to-back titles to cement his status higher up in sport
Defending Premier League champion Luke Humphries believes going back-to-back would cement his legacy higher in the sport; Only Phil Taylor and Michael van Gerwen have defended their title; watch Premier League Darts live on Sky Sports every Thursday from February 5
Wednesday 4 February 2026 18:44, UK
Just two players in the history of Premier League Darts have defended their title and Luke Humphries is hoping to become the third name on that list in 2026.
Only Phil Taylor and Michael van Gerwen have completed the difficult feat of holding onto the Premier League trophy. Taylor kept hold of the trophy from 2005-2008, while Van Gerwen retained it from 2016-2019 and in 2022 and 2023.
Humphries is competing in just his third Premier League but has been in the final twice, losing to Luke Littler on debut but getting his own back in 2025.
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Now, he has his sights set on another "accolade". Indeed, he is a player who is motivated by elevating himself in the sport by achieving things that only a handful ever have done.
"I think it would mean a lot from the fact that I want to have these great accolades, these great things next to my name, do things that other players haven't done," Humphries told Sky Sports.
"For me to go and do that is a great opportunity. The way I have been playing, my consistent level that I've showed this year already, to join them too would be quite something.
"I have joined a few clubs that they are involved in and it would be nice to go out and get a few more.
"I think it would just cement my name a bit higher up in the sport to do something like that.
"The two other players who have done it before are two of the greatest that have ever played and, you for me to just be in that bracket again would just cement so much more for my legacy of the player that I'm starting to become.
"So I have got 10, 15 years more to give, but to have these accolades so early on in my career definitely sets me up for having a good finish to my career."
Humphries has been open about the fact he has been making small changes, both in and outside of his darts to ensure he can stay at the top of the sport for as long as possible and deal with hectic schedules like the 17 weeks of the Premier League.
While 2026 has only just begun, the world No 2 believes he is already seeing positive outcomes.
"I have just been looking after my health a bit more, looking after it even more than usual to try and keep myself and healthy," he added.
"To take in these long weeks and long days that do entail just little incremental changes in my darts, a couple of extra millimetres on my points and using different flights.
"They are a little bit stronger and they just seem to fly better through the air.
"This is what I have said every year. It is just a little one or two per cent on my game can make me such a better player.
"It is premature. We are only talking a month into the year here, but I already see changes there. I feel much more comfortable on the dartboard which is more important to go on and win more."
Consistency is key!
In his first two appearances on the Premier League, Humphries has taken to the format like a duck to water.
He believes his consistent game, which is not always incredibly flashy but is always incredibly strong, is why he always excels.
"I just think for me, I am a consistent player. You won't always see big 110 averages from me, I know I have had a 118, but what I mean is you don't see this from me all the time," he said.
"But what you do see is that level of 100 average or just above it quite more often than the rest of the players.
"Luke (Littler), he probably does the same as me, he probably gets more 100 averages than he doesn't.
"So that is why I think this tournament sort of works for me better than most, it is that consistent level that I show definitely sort of benefits in this tournament."
Price wants to be in our bracket again
Humphries opens his Premier League campaign in Newcastle on Thursday night against Gerwyn Price who is in form once again but is only currently the world No 12.
'Cool Hand' knows he will face a tough match as he believes Price is striving to be in the conversation alongside the likes of himself and Littler once again.
"Price is probably on the up himself. He's playing a lot better now than he was two years ago," Humphries said.
"He will probably be annoyed at the fact that there's a lot of talks about me and Luke all the time, he probably won't like that.
"He used to be the name that everyone talked about and look, they still do, but he's not the same as me and Luke anymore and he wants to be a part of it.
"So, he is going to want to be beating me and putting a good marker down for himself so I think he is going to be up for it.
"I am going to be up for it as well, though, because I always like to start off well, take the pressure off early and not make it too hard for yourself at the end."
Who will win this year's Premier League Darts? Luke Humphries will be defending his title and you can watch the action every single Thursday from February until May on Sky Sports. Stream darts and more top sport with NOW.
