A bitter war of words has erupted at the top of professional darts, with former World No. 1 Michael van Gerwen branding the 2026 PDC Order of Merit “full of crap”—a comment that has drawn stinging rebukes from rising stars Luke Littler and Wessel Nijman.
“You tell me how a player who wins two majors can be behind a guy who wins ten floor events?” Van Gerwen told Dutch broadcaster RTL7. “It’s nonsense. The whole list is full of crap. I’ve played the best darts of my life this year, and I’m looking up at names who’ve won nothing on the big stage. It’s a joke.”
The three-time world champion’s comments were not aimed at Humphries directly, but at the congested middle-order—where players who have excelled on the European Tour have leapfrogged major semi-finalists.
Littler: “Disrespectful to the grind”
Seventeen-year-old sensation Luke Littler, currently ranked World No. 1, was quick to condemn Van Gerwen’s outburst. “With respect, Michael has been at the top so long he’s forgotten what it’s like to fight for every point,” Littler said in an exclusive interview. “I’ve played 35 ProTour events this year. That’s not ‘crap’—that’s graft. If you can’t handle the new maths, don’t shoot the board.”
Littler, who has surged up the rankings thanks to consistent deep runs on the floor, added: “He’s calling my results worthless. I’m not having that. He’s a legend, but legends don’t get to rewrite the rules just because they’re losing.”
Nijman’s explosive response
Wessel Nijman, the 26-year-old Dutch prodigy who has rocketed into the top 2 on the back of three ProTour titles this season, was even more blistering in his retort.
Speaking to Viaplay, Nijman said: “Michael is my idol, but this is embarrassing. He’s effectively saying every player outside the top five doesn’t deserve their spot. I beat him twice on the floor this year—were those wins ‘crap’ too?”
Nijman, who now sits just two places behind Van Gerwen, accused the veteran of “elitist gatekeeping” and challenged him to a head-to-head showdown on the floor circuit. “Put your money where your mouth is, Michael. Play the full ProTour schedule like the rest of us, then complain.”
PDC defends the system
The PDC has stood by the 2026 changes, which were designed to reward year-round consistency ahead of the World Championship cut-off. In a statement, a spokesperson said: “The Order of Merit is a transparent, points-based system agreed with the Players’ Association. All players compete under the same conditions. We respect Michael’s opinion but firmly reject the suggestion that the rankings are invalid.”
Humphries stays above the fray
World No. 1 Luke Humphries opted for diplomacy, tweeting: “The board doesn’t lie. If you want the top, you win the points. Simple as that. No drama.”
But with Van Gerwen threatening to “re-evaluate” his participation in several upcoming European Tour events, and Littler and Nijman calling for a formal apology, the row threatens to overshadow the build-up to the World Matchplay later this month.
Van Gerwen has yet to respond to his younger rivals’ counter-punches, but sources close to the Dutchman say he is “unrepentant” and will double down in his post-match press conference at next week’s Polish Masters.
One thing is certain: the 2026 Order of Merit debate is far from settled—and the arrows are now flying off the board as well as on it.