The Junior Power League is back today – with an all-star cast, a new venue, a live audience and a record-breaking qualifying field of 105 players.
Sixteen of the best young talents in world darts will compete for the coveted JPL titles, which were won in 2025 by Jack Nankervis and Rebecca Allen.
Both players will be back in the JPL in 2026, although Allen will miss the opening night, giving the rest of the field the opportunity to get off to a flying start.
The girls’ line-up will be completed by Macy Gibbons, Yazmine Ruck-Havard, Lucy Shepherd, Lola Wheeler and a qualifier from the 15-strong field.
Joining Nankervis in the boys’ event are Kaya Baysal, Owen Bryceland, Lewis Cook, Jack Johnson, Tergel Khurelkhuu, Mitchell Lawrie, Lex Paeshuyse, Archie Self plus a qualifier from the 90-strong field.
The action will take place at the JDC’s National Darts Centre at Hangar 61 in Bristol, with the qualifiers starting at 3pm and the main event streamed live on YouTube and Facebook from 7pm, with commentary from Chris Mason and Carl Redden.
The opening night matches…
Lucy Shepherd v Girls Qualifier
JPL debutant Lucy Shepherd will be looking to open the 2026 competition with victory over the winner of the girls’ qualifying event.
The 14-year-old from Coventry finished a respectable seventh in the 2025 JDC Girls Series, reaching three semi-finals along the way, as well as winning the Nations Cup girls’ singles, doubles and team titles.
Boys Qualifier v Jack Johnson
Jack Johnson narrowly missed out on the knockout stage of the inaugural JPL – but was a double big-stage winner in 2025.
The 14-year-old followed up his JDC Super 16 win on the PDC World Masters stage by winning the JDC Volts title on the Grand Prix stage in Leicester in October.
He faces the winner of the boys’ qualifying event and will be looking for a fast start.
Kaya Baysal v Lewis Cook
Kaya Baysal is enjoying a rapid rise through the world of darts. The 15-year-old became the youngest ever winner of a senior World Darts Federation event when he won the Budapest Classic, before going on to lift the JDC Winmau Junior World Masters.
He faces Lewis Cook, 15, who is no stranger to big-event success himself, having won the JDC Super 16 title on the PDC World Grand Slam stage toward the end of 2025, as well as the European Open.
Lola Wheeler v Yazmine Ruck-Havard
Lola Wheeler will be looking to reach the JPL knockout phase having finished 10th in the JDC Girls Series last year, reaching one event final, and winning the Unsigned Weekend girls’ event.
The 17-year-old faces one of the rising stars of the girls’ game in Wales’ Yazmine Ruck-Havard, 15, who finished third in the 2025 Girls Series.
Jack Nankervis v Lex Paeshuyse
Jack Nankervis won the inaugural JPL title by beating Tergel in the final – and the 15-year-old from Cornwall will be eager to start strongly again in Bristol.
He faces Belgium’s Lex Paeshuyse, the 2024 world champion, who was third on the Advanced Tour and is looking for a flying start to the JPL.
Mitchell Lawrie v Owen Bryceland
Two of Scotland’s brightest talents meet in a fascinating opening-night clash, with 12-year-old Bryceland making his JPL debut.
He comes up against 15-year-old Lawrie, the JDC world champion, who will be eager to further enhance his burgeoning reputation in front of the cameras.
Yazmine Ruck-Havard v Lucy Shepherd
With Rebecca Allen and Macy Gibbons unable to compete this evening, Ruck-Havard and Shepherd get another chance to earn crucial points when they meet.
Ruck-Havard, 15, from Cwm Taf Arrows Darts Academy, is the Wales No 1 and a Girls World semi-finalist.
Archie Self v Tergel Khurelkhuu
The final match of the evening sees Archie Self, 16, take on 15-year-old Tergel in a potentially thrilling contest.
Tergel, the Advanced Tour winner, was beaten in last year’s JPL final, beating Self, a former JDC world No 1 himself, in the quarter-finals.
