Josh Rock is hoping a return to home soil can provide his BetMGM Premier League darts campaign with fresh impetus, as he prepares to take centre stage in Belfast on Thursday night.
The SSE Arena will play host to Night Four of this year’s extravaganza, as the darting roadshow rolls into the Northern Irish capital on February 26.
Rock is yet to open his Premier League account following a hat-trick of quarter-final exits, succumbing to Jonny Clayton, Michael van Gerwen and Luke Humphries respectively.
The 24-year-old will now take on fellow newcomer Gian van Veen, who has made a strong start to the season by progressing to nightly finals in Newcastle and Glasgow.
However, Rock has won each of his last four meetings against the Dutch number one, and he’s hoping to thrive under the spotlight and deliver for his home crowd.
“I’m massively excited,” insisted Rock, who steered Northern Ireland to World Cup of Darts glory last summer.
“This is the one out of all the Premier League nights that I’m really looking forward to.
“We haven’t had anyone from Northern Ireland playing in the Premier League since Daryl [Gurney] in 2020, so it will be good to have somebody back on home turf!
“I don’t think there’s any added pressure. Hopefully I will enjoy it a little bit more because my friends and family will be there supporting me.
“It will probably be tough for Gian because I think the Belfast crowd will be against him, but I think he’ll still cope with it okay, so the best player on the night is going to win.”
Van Veen defeated Stephen Bunting and Humphries in advancing to the Night Three decider in Glasgow, where he was beaten by an irrepressible Clayton.
Clayton Looking For Premier Dart Double
The 2021 Premier League champion averaged north of 104 to defeat Van Veen 6-2, sealing victory with a fabulous 156 checkout that catapulted him to the top of the Premier League table.
The Welshman will aim to retain top spot when he kicks off Thursday’s action against world number one Luke Littler, in a repeat of their semi-final showdown in Glasgow.
Clayton inflicted Littler’s joint-heaviest defeat on the Premier League stage with a 6-1 success, although the World Champion responded by lifting his fifth European Tour title at the inaugural Poland Darts Open on Sunday.
However, Clayton is brimming with confidence following a terrific start to the season, as he sets his sights on back-to-back wins over the 19-year-old.
“This is where I want to be, playing darts on the biggest stages,” declared the two-time World Cup champion.
“The crowds are fantastic. You look around and the venues are massive. There is no better feeling, it’s a great feeling.
“I’m enjoying myself, and when you enjoy what you’re doing, things seem to happen for you.
“I’ve been here before, I’ve done this before, so I know how important points are week in, week out, and it’s going okay so far!”
Littler arrives in Belfast in sixth position, level on points with reigning champion Humphries, who will play Bunting for the right to face Littler or Clayton in the Night Four semi-finals.
Humphries averaged 106 in dispatching Rock on Night Three, but he paid the price for squandering match darts for a second successive week – this time against Van Veen in the last four.
Bunting, meanwhile, is still searching for his first points of the 2026 season, despite averaging 99 in recent defeats against Clayton and Van Veen.
The evening’s other quarter-final clash will pit seven-time champion Van Gerwen against 2023 runner-up Gerwyn Price, in a repeat of Antwerp’s Night Two final.
Night One winner Van Gerwen was forced to withdraw from last week’s action in Glasgow due to a medical issue, but the Dutchman is still only a point adrift of top spot.
Price, however, has endured a mixed start to the campaign, with his victory in Belgium sandwiched between quarter-final defeats to Humphries and Clayton in Newcastle and Glasgow respectively.
Ranking points will be awarded per night – with five to the winner, three to the runner-up and two to the semi-finalists – to form the league table from which the top four players will progress to Finals Night at The O2 in London on Thursday May 28.
The 2026 BetMGM Premier League is being broadcast live on Sky Sports in the UK & Ireland, through the PDC’s worldwide broadcast partners including DAZN and Viaplay, and on PDCTV for Rest of the World Subscribers (outside of the UK, Ireland, Germany, Austria & Switzerland).
2026 BetMGM Premier League
Night Four – SSE Arena, Belfast
Thursday February 26
Quarter-Finals
Luke Littler v Jonny Clayton
Stephen Bunting v Luke Humphries
Michael van Gerwen v Gerwyn Price
Gian van Veen v Josh Rock
Semi-Finals
Littler/Clayton v Bunting/Humphries
Van Gerwen/Price v Van Veen/Rock
Final
v
All matches best of 11 legs
—–ENDS—–
Images: PDC
