Wade Ends Decade-Long Wait to Overtake Van Gerwen
James Wade has underlined his remarkable 2026 resurgence by ending a ten-year wait for a European Tour title at the Flanders Darts Trophy, a victory which carries the significant consequence of moving him above Michael van Gerwen in the PDC Order of Merit. The 43-year-old defeated Ross Smith 8-4 in Sunday’s final in Antwerp to claim his third career European Tour crown. It was his first triumph on the tour since 2016, a testament to the enduring class of a player who has consistently remained at the sport’s top table for nearly two decades.
The triumph in Belgium is the latest chapter in a superb season for the left-hander, who began the year ranked eleventh in the world. Having already secured a Players Championship title and his first regular World Series trophy at the Australian Darts Masters, this win adds a third different type of PDC event to his 2026 roll of honour. The £35,000 top prize sees Wade climb to sixth in the world rankings, pushing Van Gerwen down to seventh. It is a notable moment, with the Dutchman set to lose further ground in the coming weeks and Wade’s own major title-winning form, including a run to the UK Open final, driving his ascent.
Wade’s path to the title was formidable. He recorded victories over Jim Long, Rob Cross, Danny Noppert and Damon Heta to reach the final. His performance against Cross was particularly strong, featuring a 101.59 average, while he was utterly dominant in a 6-0 whitewash of Noppert. In the final against Smith, ‘The Machine’ was clinical, averaging 99.10 and converting 60 per cent of his attempts at a double. Such consistent, high-calibre form will make him a player to watch as the major television tournaments approach, and many will be monitoring the best odds bookmakers are offering for his chances.
After securing the trophy, Wade was quick to pay a heartfelt tribute to his opponent, Ross Smith. In a moment of great sportsmanship, he reflected on having watched his fellow Englishman’s career develop since he was a teenager and offered warm words of support. “If his mum was here right now, she would be so proud of him,” he said of Smith, whose family has faced personal loss in recent years.
World Stage Picture Takes Shape
While Wade was celebrating in Antwerp, crucial qualifying spots for the upcoming World Darts Championship were being decided at the fifth edition of the PDC Asian Championship. The Philippines’ Paolo Nebrida emerged as the champion, securing not only his second appearance at Alexandra Palace but also a coveted debut at November’s Grand Slam of Darts in Wolverhampton. The title represents a significant breakthrough for the Filipino darter on the increasingly competitive Asian circuit.
The tournament also produced a piece of darting history as Kam Weng Cheng reached the final, becoming the first player from Macau to ever qualify for the World Darts Championship. Both finalists were guaranteed a place in the global showpiece, and Cheng’s achievement marks another step in the expansion of the professional game into new territories. His success story is a highlight from a tournament that gathered the continent’s best talent.
The group stage, which preceded the high-stakes knockout rounds, saw some high-profile eliminations. Defending champion Lourence Ilagan, despite an inconsistent year, posted two impressive averages of 101.55 and 103.47 but still failed to progress to the last 32. He was joined by other established names from the region including Motomu Sakai, Lok Yin Lee, and Tomoya Goto. Also exiting early was the evergreen Paul Lim, whose own place in darting history was secured with the first ever nine-dart finish at a World Championship back in 1990.
Attention now begins to turn towards the next televised major, the World Grand Prix. The draw for the unique double-in, double-out tournament has been made, with reigning champion Luke Littler set to begin his title defence against Luke Woodhouse. The teenage star is aiming to become only the third player in history, after Phil Taylor and Michael van Gerwen, to win back-to-back titles at the event. Other standout first-round ties include a clash between world number one Luke Humphries and Dave Chisnall, while Gary Anderson is set to face Damon Heta in another intriguing encounter.
In brief
- Belgian qualifier Jaimy Jacobs enjoyed a memorable PDC debut at the Flanders Darts Trophy. The 35-year-old carpenter defeated his friend and compatriot Mike De Decker 6-5 to win a place in the main draw, describing the feeling of his walk-on as giving him “goosebumps” before losing his first-round match 6-1 to Niko Springer.
- Derek Coulson claimed the £5,000 weekly prize in the MODUS Super Series, beating Jamai Van den Herik in the Week Six final to book his place in a future Champions Week. In the current week’s action, David Evans posted the highest average of the day (94.23) and sits jointly top of Group A with Kai Fan Leung.
- The PDC has confirmed that the World Series of Darts Finals will remain in Amsterdam, extending its partnership with the AFAS Live venue which will continue to host the season-ending event.
