Michael van Gerwen's place in the 2027 Premier League Darts has come under scrutiny, with PDC chief executive Matt Porter acknowledging the seven-time champion's difficult season while offering a strong endorsement of Ross Smith's hopes of making his debut.

The Dutchman has slipped outside the world's top ten and missed the Premier League play-offs for two consecutive years, leaving him facing the prospect of needing a wildcard invitation. Smith, meanwhile, has emerged as one of the leading contenders for selection after collecting six titles in 2026.

Asked by Sky Sports about the possibility of Van Gerwen missing out, Porter pointed to the 37-year-old's achievements and expressed confidence that he could rediscover his best form.

"I think Michael's career record speaks for itself," he said. "He's had a difficult year, but, you know, he's committed to the tour. He's stuck by what he wants to do, and I think he'll come again."

Van Gerwen faces fight to retain Premier League place

Van Gerwen remains the most successful player in Premier League history, having won seven titles between 2013 and 2023. However, he finished fifth in 2025 before slipping to sixth this year, extending his absence from Finals Night to two consecutive seasons.

His 2026 campaign began promisingly with victory on the opening night in Newcastle and another nightly final in Antwerp, but he was unable to maintain that momentum across the competition.

The struggles have extended to the ranking majors. Van Gerwen suffered first-round defeats at both the World Grand Prix and European Championship, while his World Matchplay campaign ended in the second round. Four opening-round exits on the European Tour have further contributed to a disappointing year.

Having entered 2026 inside the world's top four, Van Gerwen now sits 11th on the PDC Order of Merit. Only the four highest-ranked players following the World Darts Championship are guaranteed Premier League places, leaving the remaining four invitations at the discretion of the selectors.

Ross Smith earns major endorsement from PDC chief

Among the new names is Smith, who has enjoyed the most successful season of his career and climbed to a career-high sixth in the world rankings.

The Englishman followed his World Series of Darts Finals triumph in September by reclaiming the European Championship in Dortmund the following month, defeating Martin Schindler 11-8 in the final. He has also claimed two European Tour titles and two Players Championship victories during 2026.

Those performances have strengthened a Premier League case that was considerably less convincing after his first European Championship success in 2022.

"Ross has had a magnificent year," Porter told Sky Sports. "He won the European Championship a few years ago, but perhaps at the time didn't then back that up by getting into the latter stages of tournaments on a regular basis. He's proven now that he can do that. He's proven he can live with and beat the best players in the world."

Smith has never previously featured in the Premier League, despite winning three televised major finals from three appearances. Porter believes his latest achievements have made him an obvious candidate for a first invitation. "And he now is one of the best players in the world," the PDC chief executive added. "So I don't think it would be a surprise for many people if Ross were to be included."

Smith's £449,000 in ranking prize money earned during 2026 places him second only to Luke Littler on the calendar-year list. Van Gerwen, by comparison, sits 23rd with £170,250, highlighting the contrast between their performances across ranking tournaments.

There is still room for both players in the 2027 Premier League, with four wildcard places available, although the remaining major tournaments could substantially alter the selection picture.

Van Gerwen also faces the challenge of defending £200,000 in ranking prize money from his run to the 2025 World Championship final, making his upcoming Alexandra Palace campaign particularly significant.

Premier League format changes on the horizon?

Beyond the selection debate, Porter also addressed the future of the Premier League format, revealing that the PDC is considering new ideas despite remaining satisfied with the current structure.

The competition has operated with eight players and a nightly knockout tournament since 2022, replacing the previous ten-man round-robin system that featured Judgement Night eliminations.

"I think the format is solid," Porter explained. "I think the fact you see the top players playing each other every week is strong. It's great for the live crowds in the arenas. It keeps them engaged. It keeps fans on TV engaged until the end."

Under the previous format, each player contested a single league match per night, with Porter suggesting that the absence of a nightly final had a noticeable effect on spectators. "Previously, when there'd been just more generic league stage matches, you'd see a fall off in attendance and you'd see people leaving the arenas as the evening went on, and that's not something we want," he said.

Nevertheless, the PDC chief executive confirmed that the competition is unlikely to remain unchanged indefinitely. "But we're very conscious of the need to keep it fresh. The Premier League format has evolved a number of times over its 20-odd year history, and it will continue to do so. So we've got a couple of little concepts that we're looking at and things we'll introduce at the right time."

Porter concluded: "We'll never keep everybody happy, but as long as they're talking about it, that's all we can ask for."

No specific changes or timetable have been announced, leaving the existing eight-player format in place as the PDC prepares to finalise its 2027 line-up following the World Darts Championship.