By Brad Williams
The Premier League of Darts is right around the corner, so let’s get to know the class of 2026.
Luke Humphries is, no doubt, one of the most talented players in the sport and is someone who has really found his stride over the last couple of years. At his best, there aren’t many who can hang with his ferocious scoring power and deadly combination finishing.
‘Cool Hand’ acquired his PDC Tour Card in 2018, but it was the following year that he had his breakthrough, reaching the quarterfinals of the 2019 World Championship on debut and winning the World Youth Championship the same year.
His dominance in the sport over the last two years, alongside Luke Littler, is reflected in his growing trophy cabinet, where he currently ranks fifth in all-time PDC major titles with eight. At just 30 years old, we expect him to add a few more to the list by the time he hangs up the darts.
His accolades so far include winning the World Grand Prix, Grand Slam of Darts, World Matchplay, Masters, Premier League of Darts, two Players Championship Finals, World Cup of Darts with compatriot Michael Smith, and, of course, his crowning achievement, the 2024 World Darts Championship. He has claimed a total of twenty-four PDC titles to date.
Away from darts, Humphries is a huge supporter of Leeds United; in fact, it is said that his father named him Luke as an acronym for “Leeds United, Kings of Europe”. Speaking of his father, he was Humphries’s darting inspiration as he himself played county darts when Luke was growing up.
Before making it as a pro, Humphries worked for six years as a roofer until 2018. Before the 2025 World Cup of Darts, Humphries, along with Luke Littler, was awarded the MBE for his contributions to the sport of Darts.
Luke Humphries will make his fifth Premier League appearance, including his two cameos as a one-off challenger in 2019 and 2020. He won the event in 2025.