Luke Littler Out as Stars Fight for Players Championship Finals Places
The Players Championship Finals race has reached its most dramatic point. With just two floor events left before the Minehead field is decided, the defending champion is already out, several former world champions are fighting for places, and players separated by only a few thousand pounds face the two most important days of their year.
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Players Championship 33 and 34 take place at the Mattioli Arena in Leicester on Wednesday 4 and Thursday 5 November. When they are over, only the top 64 players on the Players Championship Order of Merit will head to Butlin’s Minehead for the Players Championship Finals on 27 to 29 November. The provisional cut-off after Players Championship 32 stands at £31,750, held by Wesley Plaisier in 64th place, but that figure is certain to move before Thursday evening.
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Players Championship Finals Race: What Is at Stake in Leicester
Unlike the televised majors, the Players Championship series is played on the PDC ProTour floor, away from big stages and walk-on music. Yet for the 128 Tour Card holders, these events carry enormous weight. Every pound counts toward the Order of Merit, and Minehead rewards a consistent floor season. It is also the last PDC event before the World Championship, which begins at Alexandra Palace on 11 December.
The format adds to the tension. Each Leicester event is a straight knockout over legs, with no seedings to protect the big names. With £15,000 for each winner, £10,000 for the runner-up and £6,500 for the semi-finalists, the money across two days can turn the standings upside down.
Littler Will Not Defend His Minehead Title
The headline of this race is the player who will not be there. Luke Littler, the world champion and defending Players Championship Finals champion, will not defend the title he won against Nathan Aspinall last November. Having played in only two Players Championship events all season, Littler sits 128th on the Order of Merit with £10,500, a full £21,250 behind the current cut-off. His confirmed absence from Leicester means he will surrender the trophy without throwing a dart in its defence.
It is a remarkable footnote to an outstanding year. Littler has again dominated televised darts, but the floor circuit has not been part of his schedule in 2026. The Finals rewards consistency across 34 events, not brilliance in a handful of them. Of last year’s four Minehead semi-finalists, only Jermaine Wattimena, currently sixth, is safely through.
Anderson, Aspinall and Rock Need a Big Week
Gary Anderson is the most prominent name outside the top 64, but also the closest to climbing back in. The two-time world champion sits 68th on £29,750, just £2,000 behind Plaisier. A run to the last 16 in either Leicester event would earn £3,000 and lift him beyond the present cut-off, although that alone would not guarantee qualification.
Nathan Aspinall faces a steeper climb. The former World Matchplay champion, beaten 11-8 by Littler in last year’s Minehead final, is 78th on £26,500, £5,250 adrift and fourteen places to make up. A semi-final worth £6,500 would lift him to £33,000, but even that might not be enough once the final rankings settle.
Josh Rock is 80th with £26,000, £5,750 behind Plaisier. Raymond van Barneveld, the five-time world champion, is 81st on £25,750 and needs at least £6,000 across two days, while Peter Wright is 86th on £23,750. Wright’s £8,000 deficit means even a semi-final would leave him short unless he adds money on the other day.
Price and Smith Are Inside, but Not Safe
The pressure is not limited to players outside the top 64. Gerwyn Price, despite winning Players Championship 6 earlier in the season, sits just 58th on £34,000, a cushion of only £2,250 over the cut-off. The 2021 world champion reached last year’s Minehead semi-finals, losing 11-8 to Littler, but he could still miss out if he fails to add to his total and the chasing pack produces strong results in Leicester.
Michael Smith, the 2023 world champion, is 56th with £35,750, £4,000 above the line but far from secure. Mike De Decker is 61st with £33,250, only £1,500 ahead of Plaisier, while Bradley Brooks and David Sharp sit 62nd and 63rd, both on £32,500. Just below the line, Henry Coates is only £500 behind Plaisier in 65th.
How to Watch the Leicester Double-Header
Both Leicester events are streamed live on PDCTV, with play getting underway in the early afternoon UK time. Floor events lack the television production of a major, but they offer the rawest form of professional darts, with live scoring throughout the day.
Leicester is also the gateway to a busy month: the Grand Slam qualifier follows on 6 November, the Grand Slam runs from 14 to 22 November, and the Finals take place in Minehead from 27 to 29 November. See our Players Championship 33 and 34 preview and our Grand Slam of Darts 2026 preview.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who has already missed out on the Players Championship Finals?
Luke Littler, the defending champion, has already missed out. Having played only two Players Championship events in 2026, he sits 128th on £10,500 and will not play in Leicester, so he cannot reach the top 64.
When are Players Championship 33 and 34?
Players Championship 33 takes place on Wednesday 4 November and Players Championship 34 on Thursday 5 November 2026, both at the Mattioli Arena in Leicester.
What is the current cut-off for Minehead?
After Players Championship 32, the provisional cut-off is £31,750, held by Wesley Plaisier in 64th place. Only the top 64 on the final Players Championship Order of Merit qualify for Minehead.
How much prize money is on offer in Leicester?
Each event offers £15,000 to the winner, £10,000 to the runner-up, £6,500 to the semi-finalists, £4,000 to the quarter-finalists, £3,000 for the last 16 and £2,000 for the last 32.
Can Nathan Aspinall still qualify for Minehead?
Yes, but he needs a deep run. Aspinall is 78th on £26,500, £5,250 behind the cut-off. A semi-final worth £6,500 would lift him to £33,000, although he would still depend on results elsewhere.
When and where are the Players Championship Finals?
The Players Championship Finals take place at Butlin’s Minehead from 27 to 29 November 2026, featuring the top 64 players from the Players Championship Order of Merit.
Conclusion
Leicester will decide far more than two floor titles this week. It will decide whether Gary Anderson can complete a late rescue, whether Nathan Aspinall and Josh Rock can climb back into the top 64, whether Gerwyn Price and Michael Smith can hold their nerve, and whether Peter Wright and Raymond van Barneveld have one more Minehead run left in them. With the cut-off at £31,750, the final two days promise drama televised majors can rarely match.
Whatever happens in Leicester, the 2026 Finals will look very different from last year’s event. The defending champion is gone, last year’s finalist is fighting for his place, and only one of last year’s four semi-finalists is safely through. That is the nature of a race decided across 34 events, and why Minehead will feel like the end of a season-long story.
