Sports
Luke Littler Wins 2026 World Darts Championship
Luke Littler overcame the challenge of Gian van Veen to defend his title and win the PDC World Darts Championship final.
The two finalists, who met during the World Youth Championship final back in 2023, started in fine fashion as Van Veen drew first blood in set one. But Littler quickly found his rhythm to take control of the tie.
Although the Dutchman attempted to rally, he simply did not have an answer for Littler’s superb scoring. The 18-year-old remained composed throughout, breaking Van Veen on multiple occasions to leave him dispirited.
What was meant to be a competitive final quickly became a procession, as Littler won six consecutive sets to put himself on the brink. And there was to be no change in the final set of the game, as ‘The Nuke’ claimed a second World Championship of his career and £1m in prize money.
Littler Cements World Number One Status With Win
Ending the contest with a fantastic 147, Littler became the first darts player since Gary Anderson in 2016 to win back-to-back titles at the event. He is also only the fourth player to ever manage the feat, following in the steps of ‘The Flying Scotsman’, Phil Taylor and Dennis Priestley.
Reacting to his win after lifting the Sid Waddell Trophy, the 18-year-old said: “It feels amazing. First of all thanks to John McDonald and John Noble – what a fantastic career they have had. In my first year Russ Bray retired, now these two legends! I’m a bit late to the party!
“I’ve been wanting to say this. Everyone knows what happened with Anthony Joshua and his guy and his team and his friends. Just like AJ said ‘the first time was so nice, I had to do it twice!’.”
Why Nathan Aspinall Confronted Luke Littler’s Dad After Their First Ever Game
Nathan Aspinall has let the cat out of the bag as he revealed one factor that could be attributed to Luke Littler’s roaring success.
Having now reached nine TV finals since May 2024, Littler has now won two World Championships and two Grand Slam of Darts, along with titles in Premier League Darts, the UK Open, World Matchplay and the World Grand Prix. His most recent win at Alexandra Palace, which came in dominant fashion, cements his status as the best player in the world.
He added: “I started playing better from the second set. The first set, I wasn’t happy going into the break but I had to kick on from there.
“I said to myself, ‘give it time, you will find it’. I started off from the left of the oche and moved over to the right. It all came to plan.
“Gian, what a tournament, he can be very happy. Every set he was there and behind me. I had to take my chances.”
Van Veen: Littler Showed Why He’s Back-to-Back World Champion
Although he averaged slightly less than 100 throughout the final, Van Veen was simply unable to find any response to Littler’s frightening form. And speaking after losing the contest, the 23-year-old conceded that he was outclassed on the night.
He said: “No, he [Littler] definitely wasn’t in the mood to give me anymore chances. He played phenomenal. He put me under pressure every leg, every set, and I missed too many chances today to make it a game.
“He’s a fantastic player which is why he’s world number one by a margin now. That’s why he’s back-to-back world champion.
Van Veen continued: “I would have liked to pick up the title, but I would have liked to give Luke a game and that’s what I didn’t do. I lost too many legs and I missed too many chances. Looking back at this tournament I’m very proud to have got to the final. Number three in the world and Dutch number one. I’m very proud of this achievement but also disappointed.”
