JAMES WADE COLUMN: James Wade reached the final of the UK Open and World Matchplay in 2025 but was not selected for the 2026 Darts Premier League
Not much consolation for me, but the way I exited the World Championship was a bit special. Some folks said it was the game of the tournament.
Still, I would have preferred to bow out in glory rather than how it happened. Fair play to Ricky Evans, who showed a lot of skill in the heat of battle. I congratulated him at the end. Gary Anderson had a strong start and almost made it to the final, eventually reaching the semi-finals where he faced Gian van Veen.
It was a thrilling performance to watch, but unfortunately, it ended badly for Gary. I thought Gian would give Luke Littler a tough match in the final, but it turned out to be quite one-sided; Littler steamrolled through.
In the end, it was almost a walk in the park for him, and I have to give hats off to Littler for his incredible achievement. He’s already won five or six major tournaments this year and is close to a clean sweep of TV events.
I’ve faced Littler twice in finals at the UK Open and the World Matchplay and lost both times. Even though I did put up a fight against him in the quarter-finals of the European Championship (which I won), it still felt like scant reward for my season.
I’m struggling with the Premier League selection process. I feel lost, honestly. I mean, I reached the finals of serious events like the UK Open and the World Matchplay, which are probably only eclipsed by the World Championship. I thought that should be enough.
I’ve been consistently good, regularly reaching the quarter-finals, semi-finals, and finals.
Unfortunately, the World Championship has been somewhat of a curse for me. The PDC seems to focus solely on the World Championship and overlooks the previous eleven months.
I don’t want to criticise the players selected for the event, but besides Luke Littler and Luke Humphries, I believe I’ve been one of the most consistent players throughout the season.
I’m really gutted about this situation. I feel ready to compete again, but it feels like a gut punch. Nonetheless, I’m determined to get through it.
On a brighter note, I’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham the home of England Rugby on Friday 23 January. There’s a special offer for readers of my column: a 20 per cent discount at allianzstadiumtwickenham.com by using code DARTS20 at checkout – you’re all welcome!
I’m excited about the event, especially the Four Nations tournament coming up. It’s crucial as I get ready for the Masters tournament in Milton Keynes. If I win at Allianz Stadium against players like Jonny Clayton, Cameron Menzies, and Brendan Dolan, I’ll know I’m on the right track.
Wish me luck, and hopefully, I’ll see you there!
Wadey
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