Luke Littler has conquered the world of darts once again, and this time there is no room for doubt. If last year was about proving he belonged at the very top, this year was about demonstrating complete dominance. At just 18 years old, Littler didn’t simply win the PDC World Championship — he owned it.
From the opening round to the final dart thrown at Alexandra Palace, Littler was relentless. He dropped just four sets across the entire tournament, brushing aside opponents with a calm authority that belied his age. Any moment that looked like a wobble barely registered, such was his control. His emphatic demolition of Gian van Veen in the final was the perfect exclamation mark on a championship run that made brilliance look effortless.
Asked repeatedly whether he felt unstoppable, Littler played it down. “At times, I am unstoppable,” he said, politely deflecting the hype. But the numbers tell a different story. Two world titles, one runner-up finish in three appearances at Ally Pally, and 10 major titles already on his résumé — achievements that most professionals spend entire careers chasing.
“To go back-to-back feels amazing,” Littler said. “Nothing beats your first world title, but retaining it is something special.”
What should truly concern his rivals is that he is nowhere near done. His hunger hasn’t dulled, and winning clearly hasn’t become routine. If there were any lingering doubts about who the best player in the world is right now, this championship erased them completely.
Littler’s rise places him in rare company. Only Phil Taylor and Michael van Gerwen have won more PDC world titles, and Littler is just the fourth player to defend the crown in consecutive years. Remarkably, he has already surpassed legends like Gary Anderson and Adrian Lewis in major title wins — all before his 19th birthday.
History only makes his trajectory more staggering. Eric Bristow was 23 when he won his second world title. Van Gerwen was 24 when he first lifted the PDC crown. Taylor didn’t win his second world title until he was 31. Littler, by contrast, is rewriting the timeline entirely.
Speculation has already turned to whether he could one day eclipse Taylor’s record of 14 world titles. Littler laughs it off — for now. “It’s so far away,” he joked. “Another 15 or 16 years maybe. But if I keep the hunger, anything’s possible.”
That hunger is unmistakable. Littler has also set his sights on Taylor’s record for days spent as world number one, a benchmark that once seemed untouchable. “I’m here at the top and I want to stay here as long as possible,” he said. “There’s loads I still want to do.”
He’s not just winning — he’s doing it in style. His 106.02 average in the final was the sixth-highest in world championship history, the best since 2018. Even when he plays “poorly” by his standards, he’s still operating at an elite level. As Wayne Mardle pointed out, a 97 average for Littler counts as an off day — an astonishing reality for the rest of the field.
Yet this moment isn’t just about one player. The final between Littler and the 23-year-old Van Veen was the youngest world championship decider in history, a symbol of a generational shift in darts. Van Veen may have been overwhelmed in the final, but his tournament showed he belongs at the very top.
The new wave is arriving fast. Alongside Littler and Van Veen are names like Josh Rock, Wessel Nijman, Beau Greaves and Charlie Manby, with even established stars like Luke Humphries still young enough to shape the sport for years to come.
For now, though, this is Littler’s era. He celebrates his success simply — with pizza, family time, and plans for travel rather than extravagance. But on the oche, he is ruthless, focused, and driven.
Whether anyone can stop him remains to be seen. What is certain is that darts is witnessing something extraordinary. Luke Littler isn’t just winning titles — he’s redefining what greatness looks like, and he’s only just getting started.
My Goat Sports 