Michael van Gerwen aims to seal his fourth World Darts Championship title in 2026, determined to put a disappointing 2025 behind him. The Dutchman has endured a tough year, marred by the end of his marriage and struggling to regain his form after a remarkable winning streak.
Despite missing out on last month's PDC World Cup of Darts, Van Gerwen believes he can still find his way back to the top. He highlighted that while 2025 was a difficult year, he performed worse than he did in some of the previous years and that he is looking forward to making amends.
The world number three has revealed that he used to have a wife who assisted him with various tasks, but now it's his sole responsibility as a father. This shift in priorities seems to have made him more determined to succeed. Van Gerwen believes that pressure can be beneficial for him and acknowledges that he had the burden of being 'the hunted' throughout his career.
However, it has been too long since Van Gerwen last won a major tournament - his most recent victory came in 2019. He will face stiff competition from other top players like Luke Humphries and Luke Littler who have been on a hot streak lately. Van Gerwen believes that consistency is key to his success in the championship.
As the world number three, he knows what it takes to win but also acknowledges that sometimes mistakes are inevitable during such high-pressure events. In order for him to come out on top at Alexandra Palace, which has historically been one of his strong suits, Van Gerwen will need to find a better balance between being sharp and focusing on the right moments.
With his sights firmly set on winning the 2026 World Darts Championship title, Van Gerwen is ready to overcome his recent setbacks and make himself a four-time world champion.
Despite missing out on last month's PDC World Cup of Darts, Van Gerwen believes he can still find his way back to the top. He highlighted that while 2025 was a difficult year, he performed worse than he did in some of the previous years and that he is looking forward to making amends.
The world number three has revealed that he used to have a wife who assisted him with various tasks, but now it's his sole responsibility as a father. This shift in priorities seems to have made him more determined to succeed. Van Gerwen believes that pressure can be beneficial for him and acknowledges that he had the burden of being 'the hunted' throughout his career.
However, it has been too long since Van Gerwen last won a major tournament - his most recent victory came in 2019. He will face stiff competition from other top players like Luke Humphries and Luke Littler who have been on a hot streak lately. Van Gerwen believes that consistency is key to his success in the championship.
As the world number three, he knows what it takes to win but also acknowledges that sometimes mistakes are inevitable during such high-pressure events. In order for him to come out on top at Alexandra Palace, which has historically been one of his strong suits, Van Gerwen will need to find a better balance between being sharp and focusing on the right moments.
With his sights firmly set on winning the 2026 World Darts Championship title, Van Gerwen is ready to overcome his recent setbacks and make himself a four-time world champion.
I feel for Mike van Gerwen, dude... last year was like, super tough for him - divorce, form slump, the whole nine yards 
. But you know what? He's still hungry for that title, and I love it! 
The fact that he's gotta be more responsible now, as a dad, is actually making him stronger, in my opinion 
. And yeah, consistency is key - those top players, Luke Humphries & Luke Littler, they're on fire 
. Can't wait to see what 2026 brings 
!
. I mean, Michael van Gerwen's been through some stuff - divorce, marriage ended, he's a single dad... but still expects us to believe he can just snap out of it and become the best darts player in the world overnight? 
. It's been six years since he last won a major tournament. Six! That's an eternity in this sport. I'm rooting for him, but if he can't even get it together for one whole year, how's he gonna make amends and win the championship now? 
this year was defo a tough one for van gerwen, seems like he's more determined than ever tho 
he's all about finding that balance between being sharp & focusing on the right moments 
gotta respect that, he's still got what it takes to compete with the best 
consistency is key, i love that about michael - he knows what it takes to win and isn't afraid of pressure 
fingers crossed for him at alexandra palace! 
I gotta feel for this guy, you know? He's been through some tough stuff in '25 - marriage ending, losing form, and all that. But I think it's good he's taking it as an opportunity to refocus and come back stronger. Being a single dad and handling everything on his own is no joke! 
And you're right, the pressure can be intense, especially with being 'the hunted' all the time. But Van Gerwen seems like a pro at handling it, so I'm hoping he can get back to winning ways in '26. The competition is gonna be fierce though - Luke Humphries and Luke Littler are on fire right now! 
... being in a tough spot with his marriage ending and struggling to find form again on the dartboard must be super frustrating for him 
... but you know what they say, "when life gives you lemons, make lemonade" 
... or in this case, when life gets you down, get back out there and crush it 
