Michael van Gerwen is convinced he will compete in the Premier League Darts again in 2027. The three-time world champion said during a livestream that he was certain of his place in the prestigious tournament. Damian Vlottes and Vincent van der Voort discussed the striking claim on the podcast Darts Draait Door.

Van der Voort also expects his close friend to receive an invitation next year. "I think he will be involved too. Peter Wright, Raymond van Barneveld and Gary Anderson were all given another year based on their reputations. I think they will invite him next year regardless."

Vlottes then wondered whether Van Gerwen might already have received a commitment from the PDC. "I don't know whether they have promised him that. He is very certain about it, so that could obviously be the case. But I don't know," Van der Voort replied.

Form not on his side as approach questioned

The former professional player acknowledged that an invitation based on current form would be difficult to justify. "If you look at the performances, I know it wouldn't be deserved. But if you look at his track record and what he has done for the PDC, he has never needed a wildcard. He has always been in the top four. If you fall outside that for just one year, I think you should be given some credit."

Michael van Gerwen has featured in every edition of the Premier League Darts since 2013

Van der Voort said his friendship with Van Gerwen did not influence his view. "I said the same about Van Barneveld and Peter Wright. And they aren't exactly friends of mine." He does believe Van Gerwen must then prove himself again. "I think he will get one more opportunity next year. After that, he will have to start performing, and rightly so."

Van der Voort was less impressed by the certainty with which Van Gerwen announced his participation. "Michael doesn't excel in tact. Nuance isn't exactly his second nature. He simply believes something and then comes out and says it."

Van der Voort expects the statement to prompt reactions either way. "People are always going to have something to say about it. You can never please everyone. Take it from me: I'm speaking from experience."