Michael van Gerwen could hit new 14-year low at the World Grand Prix as nightmare 2026 continues
Michael van Gerwen has been one of the defining figures of modern darts, but the Dutch superstar is heading into the World Grand Prix facing a situation that would have seemed almost impossible a few years ago.
After another painful early exit in Amsterdam, Van Gerwen now finds himself in danger of falling outside the world’s top 10 for the first time since 2012. And with the World Grand Prix just days away, the pressure is suddenly enormous.
For a player who spent more than 2,500 consecutive days as world number one and collected more than 40 major titles, this is unfamiliar territory. The three-time world champion has still shown flashes of the old Van Gerwen in 2026, but consistency has been the problem.
The latest setback came at the World Series of Darts Finals in Amsterdam, where Van Gerwen was defending the title he won last year.
It looked as though he had rescued the match after falling 3-0 behind against Daryl Gurney. Van Gerwen produced five straight legs to move 5-3 ahead and put himself within touching distance of victory.
Then came the moment that summed up his recent struggles.
Van Gerwen had six match darts to close out the contest but failed to take any of them. Gurney fought back to force a deciding leg before completing a stunning 6-5 victory.
Van Gerwen later admitted he felt “absolutely sick” after the defeat, and it is easy to understand why. For long periods, he looked like the player everyone knows. But when the biggest moments arrived, the finishing touch disappeared.
That is the part that will concern his supporters most.
The ranking slide is becoming serious
Van Gerwen’s problems are not simply about one bad match.
His defeat to Gurney contributed to another significant ranking drop, leaving him down at 10th in the PDC Order of Merit. Just a few months ago, he was ranked fourth.
The decline has been particularly striking because Van Gerwen did give himself something to celebrate earlier this year.
He has won three titles in 2026, including the Bahrain Masters, Nordic Darts Masters and Players Championship 15. He also reached the World Cup of Darts final alongside Gian van Veen, where the Netherlands lost to England’s Luke Littler and Luke Humphries.
So this is not a season without success.
The bigger issue is that his best performances have been surrounded by too many disappointing results, particularly in major tournaments.
At the World Matchplay, Van Gerwen lost 14-12 to fellow Dutchman Dirk van Duijvenbode in the second round. That result was especially damaging because Van Gerwen had reached the final at Blackpool two years earlier and therefore had significant prize money to defend.
The result pushed him outside the world’s top six for the first time since 2012.
Now he is facing another possible ranking milestone.
The World Grand Prix could make things worse
The timing could hardly be more interesting.
Van Gerwen is the ninth seed at the 2026 World Grand Prix and will face Ryan Joyce in the opening round at Leicester’s Mattioli Arena on September 28.
And this is not just another tournament for Van Gerwen.
The World Grand Prix has historically been one of his favourite stages. He has won the event six times, with his first triumph coming in 2012. His most recent victory came in 2022, when he defeated Nathan Aspinall in the final.
That history makes his recent record at the tournament even more surprising.
Van Gerwen has been eliminated in the opening round in each of the last two editions. If he suffers another first-round defeat against Joyce, it would be a third consecutive early exit.
More importantly, such a result could send him outside the world’s top 10 for the first time since 2012.
That would be a remarkable statistic for a player who dominated the sport for so long.
Ryan Joyce is no easy escape route
The draw has not handed Van Gerwen a straightforward opportunity to stop the slide.
Ryan Joyce has already shown good form recently, including a run to the latter stages of the Flanders Darts Trophy. He defeated Jermaine Wattimena and Josh Rock before eventually losing a close match to Ross Smith.
The World Grand Prix format adds another layer of danger.
It is the only major tournament on the PDC calendar using the double-in, double-out format. Players must hit a double to begin scoring and another double to finish a leg, while first-round matches are played over the best of three sets.
That means there is very little room for a slow start.
For Van Gerwen, that could be crucial.
There is even more at stake
The ranking situation could also have consequences beyond Leicester.
Van Gerwen has been a regular presence in the Premier League, but his current slide puts his position for the 2027 edition under greater scrutiny.
That would be another major change for a player who has been one of the faces of the Premier League era.
At the same time, the younger generation is moving rapidly.
Luke Littler is world number one and defending his World Grand Prix title, while Luke Humphries and Gian van Veen are also firmly established among the leading names. The competitive landscape Van Gerwen once dominated is changing quickly.
Still, writing off Van Gerwen would be dangerous.
He has already demonstrated in 2026 that he can beat elite opposition and win titles. His Nordic Darts Masters triumph came against Humphries, showing that the ability is certainly still there.
The question is whether he can produce that level consistently when the biggest tournaments arrive.
Van Gerwen has a huge response to make
This is what makes the World Grand Prix so fascinating.
Van Gerwen does not need to prove that he has been one of the greatest players darts has ever produced. The record already speaks for itself.
But the current version of MVG has something to prove.
Another first-round defeat would deepen the ranking crisis and potentially create a new chapter in a decline that has already lasted much of 2026. A strong run, meanwhile, could quickly change the conversation.
And perhaps that is exactly what makes the tournament so important.
The Green Machine has been written off before, only to come roaring back. Now he has another chance to remind everyone that the old champion is still capable of producing something special.
Can Michael van Gerwen stop the slide at the World Grand Prix, or is this the beginning of an even bigger change in his career?