Josh Rock and World Championship runner-up Gian van Veen feature in the eight-strong Premier League Darts line-up, which was confirmed on Monday.
The pair join seasoned campaigners Luke Humphries, Michael van Gerwen, Stephen Bunting, Jonny Clayton and Gerwyn Price, as well as world champion Luke Littler, with three changes made to the 2025 line-up.
In come the two rookies, Rock and van Veen, plus Clayton; out from last year go Rob Cross, Chris Dobey, and Nathan Aspinall.
Also absent from the list of selected players was Gary Anderson, who had made clear that he had no interest in taking up a spot, while Danny Noppert missed out on what would've been a debut campaign.
Rock (9th) and Price (12th) are the two lowest-ranked Premier League players in the PDC's order of merit, with Ryan Searle (8th) also overlooked along with James Wade (11th).
Like Aspinall, Price reached the semi-finals last year but it's the Welshman, also a finalist in 2023, who returns for another crack.
"I'm slightly surprised" 😳
— Sky Sports Darts (@SkySportsDarts) January 5, 2026
Wayne Mardle discusses the inclusion of Stephen Bunting in the 2026 Premier League Darts 🎯 pic.twitter.com/F9LYAzArKv
"There’s a fresh new look to this year’s line-up, which I’m sure will entertain our incredible crowds across the UK and Europe," said PDC chief executive Matt Porter.
"The selection for this year's tournament was particularly difficult given the incredible standard of darts we've seen over the last 12 months.
"Following on from a historic World Championship, we’re determined to build on this momentum in 2026, and we're particularly looking forward to taking the BetMGM Premier League to Belgium for the first time.
"All eight players boast considerable pedigree on the sport's biggest stages, and following record-breaking ticket sales for the 2026 season, this year's event promises to be a memorable one."
