WADE HITS OUT AT PREMIER LEAGUE SNUB
30/01/2026 By Aaron Nijjar
JAMES WADE claims he was snubbed from the Premier League for reasons that had nothing to do with his darts.
World No.11 Wade put on a brilliant display averaging 102.56 to beat Madars Razma 3-2 in round one at the Winmau World Masters.
‘The Machine’ had a magnificent 2025 campaign where he reached the final of the World Matchplay and UK Open before falling to Luke Littler.
But Wade insists he was overlooked for the Premier League for reasons beyond results.
He said: “Of course [it’s disappointing to miss out on Premier League selection], there are only three players that did better than me [in 2025].
“So, the statistics and stats don’t lie… I said to my wife, ‘Is it because I’m overweight?’ No, because there’s someone else that’s this size.
“’Is it because I’m old?’ No, because there’s someone else that’s there. ‘Is it because I’m not great looking?’ No, because there’s some others that are not so great looking.
“So, it’s just obviously the way I am, I’m quite awkward as a character.
“It’s hard to chew when you have the condition that I have [Bipolar disorder], as it’s a complete kick in the privates and really knocks your confidence.
“It knocks you for six, as there’s no apparent reason why I shouldn’t have been in.
“But as a business, I wasn’t in their model, which is fair enough.
“But for someone with mental illness, it’s quite hard to chew.
“It shouldn’t have to be where someone has to pick you.
“It should be where you do enough and I believe I did enough. I did more than anyone else, apart from the top three or four.”
The Aldershot slinger has not won a PDC major title since triumphing at the 2021 UK Open.
Wade returns to action on Saturday where he will face Gary Anderson for a place in the quarter-final at Milton Keynes.
Image by Taylor Lanning.
