The PDC Order of Merit has a new world number two. Gian van Veen has overtaken Luke Humphries in the rankings after a dramatic week that saw the World Matchplay conclude in Blackpool and the Pro Tour swing through Hildesheim, Germany. The Dutchman now sits on £1,002,750 — just £2,250 ahead of the man who held the world number one spot for nearly two years.
It's a changing of the guard that has been building for months, and the numbers finally tipped in Van Veen's favour after Players Championship 25 and 26 at the Halle39 venue on July 28–29. Here's a complete breakdown of where the Order of Merit stands, who's moving, and what it means for the rest of the 2026 season.
How Van Veen Became World Number Two
Heading into the 2026 World Matchplay at the Winter Gardens, Luke Humphries held a comfortable buffer over Van Veen. At the quarter-final stage, Humphries sat on £1,008,000 with Van Veen on £968,500 — a gap of nearly £40,000.
But the tournament exposed a tale of two campaigns. Van Veen reached the semi-finals, beating James Wade 16–13 in a gripping quarter-final before losing 17–10 to a rampant Gerwyn Price. He picked up significant prize money for his deep run.
Humphries, by contrast, crashed out in round two, losing 7–10 to Cameron Menzies — a result that shocked the darting world. The 2024 World Champion, who had been ranked second since January 2024, took minimal prize money from the biggest ranking event of the summer.
Even after the Matchplay, Humphries still led by around £9,500. But the decisive blow came at the Pro Tour in Hildesheim.
The Hildesheim Tipping Point
Players Championship 25 and 26 took place on July 28–29 at Halle39 in Hildesheim, Germany. Van Veen reached the semi-finals of PC26, losing 7–4 to Sebastian Bialecki (who went on to win the event, beating Vandenbogaerde 8–6 in the final). That semi-final appearance, combined with prize money from 2024 tournaments rolling off the two-year ranking window, was enough to flip the positions.
The final margin? Just £2,250 — one of the tightest gaps between second and third in recent PDC history.
The Order of Merit Top 10 — July 31, 2026
| Rank | Player | Nationality | Prize Money | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Luke Littler | 🏴 England | £3,127,000 | — |
| 2 | Gian van Veen | 🇳🇱 Netherlands | £1,002,750 | ▲1 |
| 3 | Luke Humphries | 🏴 England | £1,000,500 | ▼1 |
| 4 | Gerwyn Price | 🏴 Wales | £722,500 | — |
| 5 | Jonny Clayton | 🏴 Wales | £681,500 | — |
| 6 | James Wade | 🏴 England | £654,750 | — |
| 7 | Michael van Gerwen | 🇳🇱 Netherlands | £645,000 | — |
| 8 | Josh Rock | 🇬🇧 N. Ireland | £622,000 | — |
| 9 | Stephen Bunting | 🏴 England | £613,250 | — |
| 10 | Danny Noppert | 🇳🇱 Netherlands | £599,750 | — |
The eye-catching numbers here go beyond Van Veen and Humphries. Luke Littler sits on a staggering £3,127,000 — making him the first player in PDC history to breach the £3 million mark on the two-year Order of Merit. His lead of over £2.1 million from second place is the largest gap between first and second ever recorded.
Gian van Veen: The Rise of a New Force
If you haven't been paying close attention to Gian van Veen's career trajectory, now is the time to start. The 24-year-old from Purmerend, Netherlands, has gone from promising talent to genuine world-class contender in the space of 18 months.
Career Highlights
- 2025 European Championship winner — beat Humphries 11–10 in the final
- 2026 World Championship runner-up — lost 1–7 to Littler in the final at Alexandra Palace
- 2024 & 2025 World Youth Champion — back-to-back titles
- PDPA Players' Player of the Year 2025 — voted by his fellow professionals
- Dutch number one — surpassed Michael van Gerwen in the rankings
What makes Van Veen's story even more compelling is his background. He holds a degree in aerospace engineering and has spoken openly about overcoming dartitis — a psychological condition that affects a player's ability to release the dart — earlier in his career. He is also colourblind, which he has said affects his perception of certain board segments under certain lighting conditions.
At 24, he is the youngest player to reach world number two since Littler himself. And unlike many young players who burst onto the scene and plateau, Van Veen's trajectory has been consistently upward — his 2026 form has been even better than his breakout 2025.
Humphries: From World Number One to Third
Luke Humphries held the world number one ranking from January 2024 until November 2025, when Littler overtook him. Now, he's slipped to third — and the manner of the drop tells a story of a player whose peak 2024 results are systematically rolling off the two-year ranking window.
It's not all doom and gloom for "Cool Hand". He won the US Darts Masters in June 2026, beating Luke Littler 8–7 in a thrilling final to claim the £200,000 top prize. And he remains one of the most talented players in the sport. But inconsistency in the bigger TV ranking events — particularly that round two exit at the World Matchplay to Cameron Menzies — is costing him dearly.
The question for the second half of 2026 is whether Humphries can arrest the slide. With the World Grand Prix, European Championship, Grand Slam of Darts, and Players Championship Finals still to come, there are plenty of opportunities to reclaim ground. But Van Veen will be competing in those same events — and his form suggests he won't be giving his ranking back easily.
Key Movers in the Rankings
Gerwyn Price — Up to 4th (from 8th earlier in the year)
Gerwyn Price has been one of the form players of 2026. The Welshman won the European Darts Grand Prix and then reached the World Matchplay final, where he lost 9–18 to Littler despite posting strong averages throughout the tournament. His semi-final destruction of Van Veen (17–10) was one of the performances of the week.
At £722,500, Price is firmly back in the top four and looks set to remain there for the foreseeable future. For fans of the Iceman, check out the Gerwyn Price darts collection — including the Iceman darts used by the man himself.
World Matchplay 2026 Results Context
| Round | Match | Score | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Final | Littler bt Price | 18–9 | 111.53 avg (tournament record) |
| Semi | Price bt Van Veen | 17–10 | Price dominant throughout |
| Semi | Littler bt Clayton | 17–8 | Littler in imperious form |
| QF | Van Veen bt Wade | 16–13 | Van Veen fought back from behind |
| R2 | Menzies bt Humphries | 10–7 | Shock exit for Cool Hand |
Other Notable Movers
| Player | Direction | New Rank | Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nathan Aspinall | ▲1 | 15th (£531,750) | Overtook Ross Smith |
| Damon Heta | ▲1 | 20th (£436,750) | Back in top 20 |
| Dirk van Duijvenbode | ▲5 | 23rd | Strong Pro Tour form |
| Niko Springer | ▲ | Inside top 40 | Rising German talent |
| Dimitri Van den Bergh | ▼7 | 46th | Continued slide from 2024 form |
Littler's Untouchable Lead
Luke Littler remains in a league of his own at the top of the Order of Merit. His £3,127,000 total makes him the first player to breach £3 million on the two-year ranking, and his lead of over £2.1 million from Van Veen in second is historically unprecedented.
Littler won the 2026 World Matchplay with a record-breaking 111.53 average in the final against Price, and he continues to dominate virtually every tournament he enters. The 19-year-old has already surpassed many all-time records and shows no signs of slowing down.
If you're a Littler fan, explore the Luke Littler shop for the latest Gotta Luv It range, or browse what darts Luke Littler uses for a detailed breakdown of his setup.
Pro Tour Results: Hildesheim PC25 & PC26
The Players Championship events in Hildesheim played a direct role in the ranking changes at the top. Here's how those events played out:
| Event | Winner | Runner-Up | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| PC25 | Henry Coates | Damon Heta | 8–4 |
| PC26 | Sebastian Bialecki | Mike De Decker | 8–6 |
Henry Coates claimed his breakthrough ranking title at PC25, beating Damon Heta 8–4 in the final. Read the full story in our Henry Coates PC25 article. Meanwhile, Poland's Sebastian Bialecki won PC26 — continuing a trend of emerging European players making their mark on the Pro Tour.
What This Means for the Rest of 2026
The Order of Merit is a rolling two-year ranking, which means results from mid-to-late 2024 are now dropping off. This is the primary reason Humphries is falling — his extraordinary 2024 form (World Championship win, multiple Premier League wins, sustained excellence) is being replaced by more modest returns.
For Van Veen, the challenge is to hold and extend his position. His 2025 European Championship title will stay on his ranking until late 2027, giving him a solid base. But with the following major events still to come in 2026, the picture could change dramatically:
- World Grand Prix — Leicester, October
- European Championship — Dortmund, October (Van Veen is the defending champion)
- Grand Slam of Darts — Wolverhampton, November
- Players Championship Finals — Minehead, November
- World Championship — Alexandra Palace, December–January
If Van Veen can defend even a portion of his European Championship prize money and perform well at the Worlds, he could cement second place for months. If Humphries rediscovers his best form in the TV events, he'll be back in the mix. And with the way Gerwyn Price is playing, don't rule out the Iceman challenging for second himself before the year is out.
Shop Player Darts at ArrowHeadz
Follow your favourite players' form and throw what they throw. At ArrowHeadz, we stock darts from many of the top players in the world rankings:
- Luke Littler Darts — Gotta Luv It range
- Luke Humphries Darts — Cool Hand collection
- Gerwyn Price Darts — Iceman range
- Gian van Veen Darts
- Michael van Gerwen Darts — MvG collection
- Josh Rock Darts
- Jonny Clayton Darts
- Gary Anderson Darts
- Danny Noppert Darts
- Chris Dobey Darts
- Nathan Aspinall Darts
- Damon Heta Darts
Not sure what weight or style suits you? Read our guide to choosing the best dart weight or explore the best darts for beginners to find your perfect setup.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is world number 2 in darts right now?
As of July 31, 2026, Gian van Veen is the PDC world number 2 on the Order of Merit, with prize money of £1,002,750. He overtook Luke Humphries after the World Matchplay and Players Championship 25/26.
How did Gian van Veen overtake Luke Humphries?
Van Veen gained ground through his World Matchplay semi-final run and PC26 semi-final, while Humphries lost in round two of the Matchplay. Combined with Humphries' 2024 prize money rolling off the two-year ranking window, Van Veen overtook by £2,250.
What is the PDC Order of Merit?
The PDC Order of Merit is the official world ranking system in professional darts. It is calculated based on prize money earned in ranking events over a rolling two-year period. All PDC ranking tournaments contribute, including the World Championship, World Matchplay, Players Championship events, and European Tour.
Who is number 1 in darts?
Luke Littler is the current world number 1 on the PDC Order of Merit with £3,127,000 — the first player to breach £3 million on the two-year ranking. He leads second-placed Van Veen by over £2.1 million.
How old is Gian van Veen?
Gian van Veen was born on April 23, 2002, making him 24 years old. He is the youngest player to reach world number 2 since Luke Littler.
What darts does Gian van Veen use?
Browse the full Gian van Veen darts collection at ArrowHeadz to see and buy the darts he uses on the PDC Tour.
