Nathan Aspinall has suffered a major setback after withdrawing from the final two Players Championship events of the 2026 season, officially ending his hopes of qualifying for the £130,000 Players Championship Finals.
The 35-year-old was supposed to compete in Players Championship 33 and 34 in Leicester on November 4 and 5. However, his withdrawal means he will not be travelling to Minehead later this month for a tournament where he reached the final just 12 months ago.
And there is something particularly frustrating about this situation because Aspinall was not completely out of the qualification race.
The former World Matchplay champion still had an opportunity to rescue his campaign, but he will now have to watch the tournament from home.
Even more surprisingly, he will not be the only big name missing from this year’s competition. Luke Littler, who defeated Aspinall in last year’s final, has also failed to qualify.
That means the two players who contested the 2025 final will both be absent when the tournament returns.
For a competition offering such a significant financial reward, that is a disappointing development for darts fans.
Aspinall’s withdrawal comes at the worst possible time
Aspinall’s qualification problems have been building throughout the season.
Despite being one of the most recognisable players on the PDC circuit, he has struggled to accumulate enough prize money in the Players Championship events.
He competed in just 13 of the first 32 tournaments, collecting £26,500 and sitting around 77th in the Players Championship Order of Merit.
Only the top 64 players qualify for the Finals in Minehead.
The provisional qualification cut-off was £31,750, leaving Aspinall approximately £5,250 short.
That was not an impossible gap to overcome.
A semi-final appearance in one of the remaining tournaments would have earned him £6,500, potentially putting him back into contention, depending on what happened elsewhere in the rankings.
But instead of fighting for those final opportunities, Aspinall withdrew from both events.
The reason behind his decision has not been publicly confirmed, so it would be unfair to speculate about his circumstances.
Nevertheless, the timing is difficult to ignore.
A player who reached last year’s final has now missed out on the opportunity to compete altogether.
The £130,000 opportunity Aspinall will miss
The Players Championship Finals is one of the biggest events on the PDC calendar, and missing out is not something any established professional will take lightly.
This year’s tournament takes place at Butlin’s in Minehead from November 27 to 29, with 64 players competing for a total prize fund of £750,000.
The winner will collect an incredible £130,000.
That is a substantial amount of money, even for players who regularly compete at the highest level.
Of course, prize money is not the only reason Aspinall would have wanted to be there. The tournament also provides an opportunity to win another major title, build confidence and finish the season on a high.
Aspinall knows what it takes to perform at this level. His run to last year’s final proved that he can compete with the very best.
He defeated Josh Rock in the quarter-finals and Jermaine Wattimena in the semi-finals before eventually losing 11-8 to Littler.
There is no guarantee he would have repeated that achievement this year, but removing himself from the qualification race means he will never get the chance.
And that is what makes this withdrawal particularly disappointing.
Luke Littler’s absence makes the situation even stranger
Aspinall will have some company when it comes to watching the tournament from home.
Littler, who defeated him in last year’s final, has also failed to qualify for the 2026 edition.
The world champion has played just two Players Championship events this season, collecting £10,500 and falling well outside the qualifying positions.
His absence is perhaps less surprising because his limited participation made qualification extremely difficult.
However, losing both finalists from the previous year is still a significant blow.
Imagine promoting a major tournament and discovering that neither of the two players who contested the previous final will be there.
That is not ideal for the PDC, particularly when both players are among the most recognisable personalities in the sport.
There is an important question here about the Players Championship format.
Should the biggest names be expected to compete in more floor tournaments to guarantee their places at the Finals, or should there be greater flexibility for players who have other commitments?
Personally, I believe the current qualification system is fair.
The Players Championship Finals should reward players who have performed consistently throughout the floor season. It would be difficult to justify giving special treatment to famous players simply because they attract bigger audiences.
Aspinall and Littler are both talented enough to compete for major titles, but reputation cannot replace participation.
If players want to compete at Minehead, they need to earn their places.
Gary Anderson and Josh Rock still have something to fight for
While Aspinall’s withdrawal has ended his qualification hopes, several other big names still have an opportunity to save their campaigns.
Gary Anderson is one of the most interesting players heading into the final two events.
The two-time world champion is sitting outside the top 64 but is close enough to make a late qualification push.
He has collected £29,750 and needs approximately £2,000 more to reach the provisional qualification mark.
Josh Rock is in a much more difficult position.
The Northern Irishman has collected £26,000 and is also outside the top 64. He needs a substantial performance to give himself a realistic opportunity of reaching Minehead.
Raymond van Barneveld is another familiar name facing a difficult qualification battle.
The five-time world champion is currently around 81st in the rankings, meaning he needs a strong finish to his Players Championship campaign.
Gerwyn Price is also not completely safe despite sitting inside the qualification positions.
The Welshman is around 58th, with only a relatively small cushion separating him from the chasing pack.
This is why the final two tournaments could be extremely entertaining.
There are established champions fighting for their places, while less familiar names have an opportunity to secure their spots at one of the season’s biggest events.
Has Aspinall had a disappointing 2026 season?
It would be unfair to judge Aspinall’s entire season based on one withdrawal.
He remains an accomplished professional who has won major titles and established himself among the leading players in the sport.
However, his Players Championship campaign raises questions about consistency and participation.
Playing only 13 of the first 32 events meant he gave himself considerably fewer opportunities to collect prize money.
He actually started the campaign positively by reaching the final of Players Championship 1, where he lost 8-6 to James Wade.
But he struggled to build on that promising start.
For a player of his quality, finishing outside the top 64 is not the kind of result supporters would have expected.
There is also the bigger picture to consider.
Darts is becoming increasingly competitive, and players cannot afford to assume that their reputation will carry them through an entire season.
The likes of Wessel Nijman, Chris Dobey and Kevin Doets have enjoyed excellent Players Championship campaigns, showing just how competitive the circuit has become.
Even established world champions are finding it difficult to maintain their positions.
Aspinall will need to put this disappointment behind him and concentrate on the opportunities still available during the remainder of the season.
The PDC has an interesting tournament ahead
The 2026 Players Championship Finals will certainly look different without Aspinall and Littler.
However, their absence could create an opportunity for somebody else to take centre stage.
Players who have spent the season quietly building their rankings will now have a chance to compete for one of the biggest prizes in professional darts.
And that is perhaps the biggest lesson from Aspinall’s situation.
Being a popular player, a former major champion or last year’s finalist does not guarantee anything in professional darts.
You have to earn your place.
Aspinall will undoubtedly be disappointed to miss out, particularly after coming so close to winning the title last year.
But the PDC cannot bend its qualification rules for individual players.
For now, the focus shifts to the final two Players Championship events, where Anderson, Rock and several other established names will be fighting for their futures at Minehead.
One thing is certain: with last year’s two finalists missing, the £130,000 prize is suddenly up for grabs without either of the men who contested the previous final.
And somebody else will have an opportunity to make this year’s tournament their own.