Simon Whitlock to make big stage return in the inaugural PDC ANZ Premier League

Later this year, Australian legend Simon Whitlock will return to the big stage in the first-ever PDC ANZ Premier League, which will now stop in Melbourne and the Gold Coast.

Eight arenas in Australia and New Zealand will feature thrilling darts matches as part of the PDC ANZ Premier League, with the winner securing a spot in the 2025–2026 World Darts Championship.

Two of the legs will now take place in Melbourne and the Gold Coast, with round seven taking place at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre on November 15 and the opening event taking place at John Cain Arena in the city centre on October 4.

The most successful Australian darts player in history, Simon “The Wizard” Whitlock, has been announced as the ANZ Premier League’s first player. While he strives for triumph and a return to the World Championship, he will excite supporters across Australia and New Zealand.

With a trip to the 2010 World Championship final, a 2012 European Championship title, and a 2022 PDC World Cup of Darts victory alongside Damon Heta, Whitlock spent 15 years at the pinnacle of the sport.

Whitlock will travel to Australia with Russ “The Voice” Bray, the legendary referee who was inducted into the PDC Hall of Fame in 2024.

In addition to playing a significant role in the activities, Bray will be sharing valuable ideas from his 28-year career with the Premier League’s referees in Australia and New Zealand.

In addition to Whitlock, seven more players from the domestic circuits in Australia and New Zealand will participate in the PDC ANZ Premier League, battling on the main stage for eight straight Saturdays in the largest-ever roadshow event in the region.

Every night of the PDC ANZ Premier League, which is organised in collaboration with top sports organisers TEG Sport, will showcase the excitement and noise of the biggest party in sports. The PDC ANZ Premier League will go off on Saturday, October 4, at Melbourne’s John Cain Arena.

After that, on October 11, the action shifts to the Newcastle Entertainment Centre. On October 18, it goes to the AIS Arena in Canberra. On October 25, it moves to the MyState Bank Arena in Hobart.

Before the stars go over the Tasman Sea to the TSB Arena in Wellington on November 8, Round Five will take place in the Adelaide Entertainment Centre on Saturday, November 1.

Round Seven will take place in the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre on Saturday, November 15, and the series will wrap up at Brisbane’s Nissan Arena on November 22.

 

“We’ve seen huge interest in the PDC ANZ Premier League since announcing the event last year, and the addition of Simon Whitlock is a huge boost – giving fans across Australia and New Zealand a chance to see the region’s greatest-ever player in action,” said PDC Chief Executive Matt Porter.

The eight stars will meet each other once in quarter-final matches during the first seven nights, which will follow the format of the PDC’s wildly recognised European-based Premier League, which consists of quarter-finals, semi-finals, and a final all in one action-packed session.

Following a round-robin group stage, the top two players compete in a final to win the championship and earn a spot in the World Darts Championship. The top four players will then go to Finals Night in Brisbane.

TEG Group CEO Geoff Jones said: “We’re excited to be partnering with the PDC for this landmark series of Events in Australia and New Zealand.

 

“As well as crowning the first PDC ANZ Premier League champion and finding a qualifier for the World Darts Championship, this will also give us the chance to deliver the full darts experience for fans across both countries.”