Speaking to AD.nl, the three-time world champion said: “I’m feeling much better, but I was really poorly. I’ll be there on Thursday. Tomorrow I’m flying to Northern Ireland. I’m not completely fit yet, but fit enough.”

The 36-year-old hasn’t revealed what exactly struck him down.

| PA

His illness came at a frustrating time, as Mighty Mike had been enjoying a brilliant start to 2026.

He kicked off the year by claiming the Bahrain Darts Masters title, one of the World Series events, before reaching the final of the Saudi Arabia Darts Masters where Luke Littler proved too strong.

The Dutchman then stormed to victory on the opening Premier League night in Newcastle, beating Gian van Veen in the final.

His close friend and fellow player Vincent van der Voort revealed that Van Gerwen had been taking antibiotics to combat the illness, though the exact nature of his condition remains private.

Thursday’s return won’t be an easy one, as Van Gerwen faces Gerwyn Price in the first round.

The Welsh star has had the upper hand in their recent encounters, and it’s fair to say their last meeting was a bit of a nightmare for Mighty Mike.

Price absolutely demolished him 6-0 in the quarter-finals of Players Championship 2, before going on to claim the Premier League night two title with a 6-3 victory in the final.

It’ll be a proper test for Van Gerwen as he looks to shake off the rust after his time away from competitive action.

Van Gerwen’s comeback couldn’t come at a more crucial moment for his Premier League campaign.

Before his absence in Glasgow, he was sitting pretty at the top of the table, having made back-to-back finals in Newcastle and Antwerp.

With the season still in its early stages, every point matters for playoff qualification, and missing a week has already cost him ground.

The big question now is whether “fit enough” will be good enough to mount another push for the nightly win and claw back his position near the summit.