Gerwyn Price pulls out of prestigious darts tournament after health update | Other | Sport
Gerwyn Price will not be representing Wales at the World Cup of Darts this summer. ‘The Iceman’, who sits eighth in the PDC Order of Merit, has made himself unavailable for selection, leaving Nick Kenny to partner an in-form Jonny Clayton at the tournament in mid-June.
Price and Clayton stormed to the World Cup final in 2025, battling past the Philippines, Hong Kong and the Netherlands to reach the showpiece event and go head-to-head against Northern Ireland. However, Price and Clayton were defeated by Josh Rock and Daryl Gurney in the final, denying Wales a third World Cup title since the competition was founded 16 years ago.
While Luke Littler and Luke Humphries head into the 2026 tournament as overwhelming favourites for England, Price and Clayton would have secured Wales the third seed. Yet Price’s absence and the call-up of world No.60 Kenny has seen Wales drop to seventh, meaning they will be forced to navigate the group round one qualifiers.
It marks the second time in three years that Caerphilly arrowsmith Price has failed to compete at the World Cup, having previously withdrawn with Jim Williams stepping in to take his place. Last week, Price revealed a worrying health update following a heavy Premier League defeat to Wales teammate Clayton in Leeds.
“My focus is there, it’s just health-wise I am not in a great place at the moment. But I am battling on and searching for some results,” said Price.
“Hopefully in the next couple of weeks they will come and they will put me at ease. Then I will be able to enjoy darts again. Frustrating times. Time to rely on Lady Luck and see what happens over the next two weeks. Hopefully make the play-offs, but I need a lot of luck to go my way. Hopefully see you at the O2. It’s not good playing once a week and hopefully I get the results I want in three weeks’ time.
“This year has been great in the Premier League and it’s been a great start to the season. The crowd has got me through a lot of games but sometimes things happen you can’t control.”
Price, who withdrew from the Austrian Open at the weekend, has enjoyed a remarkable start to the campaign, claiming victories on the floor and the European Tour.
Despite the 2021 world champion going three years without reaching a major final, he has shown flashes of brilliance in the Premier League this term and remains on track to secure a play-off berth. However, on Thursday evening, the 41-year-old’s hopes of appearing at London’s O2 Arena took a significant hit as he was beaten 6-2 by Clayton.
The defeat leaves Price on 21 points with two weeks remaining, sitting third in the standings, though Luke Humphries, Michael van Gerwen and Gian van Veen are all breathing down his neck. Price is next due to feature in the Premier League on Night 15 in Birmingham this Thursday — the penultimate week of the regular season, ahead of the semi-finals at the O2.
