By Brad Williams
5 Justin Hood to win the UK Open
So, I may be sticking my neck out there for this one by picking an outright winner of one of the hardest tournaments of the year to predict, especially given the sheer scale of the 160-player field, but Justin Hood and the UK Open feel like a perfect match, and he is certainly a player who has proved he can rise to the occasion and surpass expectations.
So why not? After all, it would not be the first time that an underdog player has captured their maiden televised title at this event. Recent years have seen Nathan Aspinall, Danny Noppert, and Andrew Gilding all break into the winners’ circle for the first time by winning the UK Open.
If Justin Hood can follow up on his spectacular 2026 World Championship campaign, where he reached the quarterfinals, then there is no reason he cannot add his name to that list.
4 Michael van Gerwen to drop out of the top 4
For the first time in 13 years, Michael van Gerwen is not the Dutch number one. He surrendered that title to 2026 World Championship runner-up Gian Van Veen, and I predict that the former three-time world champion will drop further down the pecking order in 2026.
The Dutchman is defending a whopping 69% of his prize money this year, meaning winning titles is necessary. Now, don’t get me wrong, we all know MvG is more than capable of winning the major titles or having deep runs into tournaments, we’ve seen it time and again for years; however, it will not be an easy task given the current standard of competition, and the patchy form we’ve seen from ‘Mighty Mike’ as of late.
3 Michael Smith redemption year
I still believe in Michael Smith. Undoubtedly, one of the most naturally talented darts players to ever set foot on the oche, a player who, when at his best, makes the game look easy. His recent struggles have been well documented.
Severe arthritis in right wrist, which is his throwing arm and ankle have contributed to a significant drop off in form since his 2023 World Championship Triumph. Smith is not giving up though, as he continues to document his rehab from the injuries and has made his intentions to continue playing clear.
Currently sat 32nd in the PDC Order of Merit, we saw a few encouraging signs during the 2025 Grand Slam of Darts, where he reached the quarterfinals after wins over Nathan Aspinall and Alex Spellman in the group stages, and then defeating Chris Dobey 10-9 in the second round. He seemingly has a long way to go before getting back to his best, but I think he will continue making positive strides in 2026 and we will see “Bully Boy” back as a regular on our TV screens.
2 Josh Rock to reach the Premier League final
Josh Rock is getting close to a big one, and I believe the 2026 Premier League will be the platform where he shows the world what he is capable of on a weekly basis. We have recently seen Premier League debutants have magnificent runs in the tournament, notably with Glen Durrant, Jonny Clayton, and Luke Littler all winning in their respective debut years.
I will not say Josh Rock will outright win it this year; however, I am confident we will see ‘Rocky’ at least reach the playoffs, and if he does, I think he will go on to compete in the final.
1 Danny Noppert to finish the year in the top 4 and win a TV major
I spoke earlier about my prediction of MvG dropping out of the top four, and I believe the man to replace him in that spot is his Dutch compatriot, Danny Noppert.
“The Freeze” currently sits ranked tenth in the PDC order of merit and enjoyed a stellar 2025 where he reached the semi-finals of the World Masters, the World Grand Prix, The Grand Slam of Darts, and the European Championship.
These deep tournament runs saw Noppert go into the 2026 World Championship ranked sixth in the world, a career high. Although he crashed out of the tournament earlier than expected after losing an Ally Pally classic to Justin Hood in the second round, it would be fair to suggest that his performances throughout the year warranted a place in the Premier League.
Noppert is playing some of the best darts of his career and is primed for a big 2026, where I predict he will win his second ever televised major, and finish the year top four in the Order of Merit.