LEICESTER — The World Grand Prix final is set, and it's a clash of two players desperate to end long waits for major silverware. Gerwyn Price and Luke Humphries will meet Sunday evening in Leicester, but the semi-finals provided plenty of drama before attention fully shifts to the title battle.
In a heated first semi-final, Gerwyn Price defeated Nathan Aspinall 5-2. The Iceman raced into a 3-0 lead, but Aspinall fought back to cut the deficit to 3-2. The tension was constant throughout, with both players celebrating exuberantly and Aspinall voicing complaints to the referee about the crowd's behaviour. Price later said there was "no reason at all" to think the crowd was against Aspinall, adding that he felt the spectators were largely on The Asp's side. Price reasserted himself to close out the 5-2 victory and book his place in the final.
For Price, the final is a chance to end a surprisingly long wait for a major title. The Welshman has not lifted a major since 2022, when he won the World Series of Darts Finals. His major titles include the 2018 Grand Slam of Darts (16-13 vs Gary Anderson), 2019 Grand Slam of Darts (16-6 vs Peter Wright), 2020 World Grand Prix (5-2 vs Dirk van Duijvenbode), 2020 World Series of Darts Finals (11-9 vs Rob Cross), 2021 World Championship (7-3 vs Gary Anderson), 2021 Grand Slam of Darts (16-8 vs Peter Wright), and 2022 World Series of Darts Finals (11-10 vs Dirk van Duijvenbode).
Luke Humphries made history by reaching the World Grand Prix final for the fourth consecutive year, defeating James Wade 5-3 in the semi-final. No one had ever done that before, not even Phil Taylor or Michael van Gerwen. Humphries won his first major at the 2023 World Grand Prix in Leicester, beating Gerwyn Price 5-2 in the final. He lost the 2024 final to Mike De Decker 4-6 and the 2025 final to Luke Littler 1-6. His most recent individual major win came on 29.05.2025 at the Premier League Darts. Since then, he has lost five major finals, four of them to Luke Littler. This time, Littler suffered an early exit, making Humphries' path less steep.
James Wade fell just short again, losing 5-3 to Humphries. Wade, 43, has eleven major titles but has been waiting for number twelve since 2021. He has been one of the season's most consistent performers, with two quarter-finals, a semi-final, and a final across the majors he entered. His 2026 season results include: World Masters quarter-finals (lost 2-4 to Gian van Veen), UK Open final (lost 7-11 to Luke Littler), Premier League Darts (not selected), World Matchplay quarter-finals (lost 13-16 to Gian van Veen), and World Grand Prix semi-finals (lost 0-5 to Luke Humphries).
The final also has world ranking implications. Price will remain world number four regardless of the result. Humphries is currently second but will only keep that spot if he wins. If Humphries loses, Gian van Veen will overtake him and move up to second, a position he already held earlier this year. The current world ranking before the final: 1. Luke Littler (3124), 2. Gian van Veen (1029.75), 3. Luke Humphries (1011), 4. Gerwyn Price (793).
Sunday night's final is not only about the prestigious title and top prize. Both players have plenty on the line. Humphries can end a long run without an individual major while crowning an unprecedented fourth straight World Grand Prix final with a new title. Price can finally end a drought that now spans four years. A one-sided final looks unlikely. Whoever lifts the trophy will have to dig deep.
