World champion Luke Littler was denied entry to Wednesday’s Players Championship 33 event after he arrived late because of traffic congestion caused by a serious incident.
The 18-year-old was set to play in the penultimate Players Championship event of 2025 at Wigan’s Robin Park Leisure Centre.
But he had to withdraw after missing the 11:00 GMT registration deadline for players.
It later emerged someone had died in an incident on the M6.
Littler posted on Instagram: “Missed registration today for the pro tour, but someone sadly lost their life. Thinking of everyone.”
Littler was replaced by fellow Englishman Charlie Manby, who is ranked 174th in the PDC’s order of merit. He upset 2018 world champion Rob Cross 6-5, before being knocked out in the second round.
The event was won by England’s Chris Dobey, who beat Ireland’s William O’Connor 8-6 in the final to leapfrog Cross to eighth in the order of merit.
Littler closed the gap on Humphries when he won the World Grand Prix earlier this month, saying afterwards: “Obviously, until I get that world number one spot, I will never call myself the best in the world.
“I don’t want to think about it too much, but I could be world number one before that World Championship.
“I’ve just got to keep chucking away and put as much pressure as I can on Luke.”
Littler begins his European Championship campaign against five-time world champion Raymond van Barneveld, 58, on Friday.
Humphries, 30, faces Pole Krzysztof Ratajski in the first round and could potentially meet Littler in the quarter-finals.
A day after his Grand Prix victory, Littler was beaten in the World Youth Championship semi-finals by Beau Greaves, before he then won the Players Championship 32 event.
He has also announced a new management deal with Target Darts after splitting with Martin Foulds of ZXF Sports Management, who had managed him for five years.
Littler will hope to improve his recent record in Germany, where he has skipped some tournaments after facing a hostile reception from spectators. He was booed alongside Humphries when the pair lost to Germany at the World Cup of Darts in Frankfurt in June.
After the European Championship, there are two big tournaments before the World Championship starts on 11 December – the Grand Slam of Darts (8-16 November) and Players Championship Finals (21-23 November).
Nathan Aspinall threw two nine-dart finishes during the Players Championship 31 only to be blown away in the final – as Luke Littler suffered an early exit.
Aspinall, 34, produced perfect darts in a 6-4 victory over Irishman Steve Lennon in the second round, then repeated the feat in a 6-5 win over Germany’s Lukas Wenig in the last 16.
Englishman Aspinall had taken a 2-0 lead against Jermaine Wattimena of the Netherlands in the final in Wigan.
However, Wattimena reeled off eight legs on the bounce to clinically see off Aspinall and seal his second ranking title of the season.
The 18-year-old world champion is currently 67th in the Players Championship standings, external and has three events to secure his place in the top 64 to qualify for the finals.
Michael van Gerwen is also in danger of not qualifying after he was knocked out at the same stage with a 6-4 loss to Dom Taylor.
The Dutchman is 92nd in table and must now make the final in the Players Championship 32 on Wednesday to secure his spot because he is skipping the final two events because of a pre-booked holiday.
There are 34 Players Championship events across the year, with the competition’s finals held in Minehead from 21-23 November.
LUKE LITTLER is a whisker away from becoming world No.1 for the first time.
The teen sensation battered Luke Humphries in Sunday’s World Grand Prix final to slash the buffer ‘Cool Hand’ enjoyed at the top of the PDC Order of Merit.
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Littler is breathing down Humphries’ neckCredit: Getty
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Cool Hand’s lead at the top has been slashedCredit: Getty
Darts world rankings are determined by the amount of prize money a player has won in ranking tournaments over a rolling two-year period.
Littler was 16 years old and barely even on the radar two years ago.
He has racked up virtually all of his staggering £1,665,500 haul since bursting onto the scene at the 2024 World Darts Championship.
And that doesn’t even include the cash he’s banked at non-ranking events.
Humphries has been untouchable at the top of the standings for nigh on two years.
But the hiding he got from Littler in Leicester has cut the gap to just over £70,000.
Humphries will need a heroic effort to remain on top as he’s defending maximum winnings at the Grand Slam of Darts and the Players Championship Finals next month.
Josh Rock and Danny Noppert are two of the other big winners from the World Grand Prix.
Rock, 24, is up from ninth to eighth in the world, having started the year 16th.
And Noppert has jumped from 13th to 10th after losing to Humphries in the semi-finals.
Luke Littler reveals he’s going solo after shock split from manager ahead of World Grand Prix
Damon Heta, Dave Chisnall and Peter Wright have all slipped further down the pecking order.
And there is more misery for 2023 world champion Michael Smith – who didn’t even qualify for the World Grand Prix – as he has dropped two places to 27th.
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Josh Rock is up to eighth in the worldCredit: Getty
Beau Greaves emerged victorious from a 6-5 thriller against Luke Littler as she became the first woman to reach the final of the World Youth Championship.
The 18-year-old had breezed through his three matches in the round-robin phase of the event, with wins over Dutchman Jeffrey Keen, Iceland’s Alexander Thorvaldsson and Belgium’s Matthias Moors.
However, the world champion put in a below-par last-16 display against fellow Englishman Charlie Manby.
Littler was on the brink of defeat at 5-3 down to the 20-year-old, before winning the next three legs, then rediscovered his touch in the quarter-finals with a 6-1 victory over Jamai van den Herik of the Netherlands.
Warrington teenager Littler found himself 2-1 down in the semi-final against Greaves but responded by winning three consecutive legs to seize the upper hand.
But three-time WDF women’s world champion Greaves – who is set to accept a PDC Tour card for 2026-27 – rallied to level the match at 4-4 and 5-5.
Greaves then blew Littler away in the decider as she threw an 11-dart leg – the 21-year-old from Doncaster sealing victory with a checkout of 80.
She will meet defending champion Gian van Veen in next month’s final after the Dutchman, 23, clinched a 6-4 win over Sebastian Bialecki of Poland in the other semi-final.
The World Youth Championship final will be played on 23 November in Minehead, before the Players Championship final on the same day.
Littler, who averaged 107.4 to Greaves’ 105, posted on Instagram after his defeat: “Fair play to Beau. All the best in Minehead. Some talent.”
Players aged between 16 and 24 are eligible to compete in the World Youth Championship.
Littler won the youth title in 2023 aged 16, a few weeks before he burst into the spotlight by finishing runner-up at the 2024 World Championship.
World champion Luke Littler clinically defeated world number one Luke Humphries 6-1 to win his first World Grand Prix title.
Littler, 18, was knocked out in the first round of the ‘double-in and double-out’ tournament on debut last year, but was more impressive throughout this campaign.
His average was lower than Humphries’ in the final, but he was ruthless throughout, winning five of his six sets in final-leg deciders to claim the £120,000 prize money.
It gives Littler his seventh PDC major televised title – the joint seventh-highest in history.
He has closed the gap between himself and leader Humphries to just over £70,000 at the top of the PDC’s order of merit as the two battle to arrive at December’s World Championships as world number one.
Cool Hand has lost just five sets on his way to tonight’s final.
Luke Humphries 2-0 Nathan Aspinall (first round)
Luke Humphries 3-1 Krzysztof Ratajski (second round)
Luke Humphries 3-1 Cameron Menzies (quarter-final)
Luke Humphries 5-3 Danny Noppert (semi-final)
Elite company
Luke Humphries has joined an exclusive club by making tonight’s final.
The world No1 has reached the final of the World Grand Prix three times in a row!
Only Phil Taylor and Michael van Gerwen have done that before.
Humphries beat Gerwyn Price two years ago and lost to Mike De Decker 12 months ago.
Head-to-head record
Luke Littler edges this match-up after 24 meetings.
‘I get too relaxed’
Luke Humphries came through a tense battle with Danny Noppert in the semi-final last night.
Cool Hand raced into the lead before the Dutchman staged a comeback.
Humphries held him off and has explained how he managed to re-find his range after a mid-match blip.
He said: “I just splashed my face with a bit of water and said, I’ve got to fire myself up.
“Sometimes the body gets a little bit too relaxed and I’m kind of just pushing the darts. I said to myself, ‘Now or never — you really have to show Danny you still want to win this.’
“Because if I come out 4–3 down thinking, ‘I’ve still got two sets, I can afford to lose this one,’ that’s the wrong mindset.
“I didn’t want to lose that set.
“I came out a bit more aggressive — come on, get my head on, get the energy level up and it seemed to work.”
Out for revenge
The last time Luke Littler played Luke Humphries, the teenage star won the New Zealand Masters final 8-4 in August.
But that was not enough to count as revenge for Littler as he brought up the 11-8 Premier League final defeat he suffered to Humphries in May.
He said: “That’s the last big one we met in, apart from New Zealand.
“But on the major stage, I owe him one tomorrow night.
“When it’s Luke Humphries in the opposite corner in a final, it feels even bigger.
“We’ve both beaten each other in major finals.
“But this one’s very different — double start.
“Whoever gets off first tomorrow probably wins.”
‘Biggest clash in darts’
We are nearly ready for the latest chapter of the two Luke rivalry.
And Littler knows it is the final everyone hoped for at the beginning of the week, saying: “I think me and Luke is the biggest game in darts.
“Whether it’s a final, a first round, or a semi-final, we bring the best out of each other.
“Another Luke vs Luke final doesn’t get boring.”
The Nuke’s comment comes after he labelled his match with last year’s champ Mike De Decker as “boring” due to the Belgian not playing his best.
Darts is heading to Saudi Arabia for the first time on January 19 and 20 next year.
When the snooker headed to the kingdom, entertainment chief Turki Alalshikh added a golden ball to the table to open up the possibility of a 167 super-maximum and a £1milion reward for players that achieve it.
Littler is hoping a new lucrative concept is added to darts like rewarding a nine-darter with a massive cheque.
Littler a ‘different animal’
Luke Littler’s semi-final opponent Jonny Clayton knows how big his task is tonight.
The Welshman said: “An honest answer is you have to be scared of him.
“The two Lukes, they’re both pushing the bar and the rest of us are following.
“Gezzy’s been putting in some awesome performances, and we’re all trying to keep up.
“But Luke [Littler] is the hottest player on the planet right now.
“He’s class, the world can see it. He’s a different animal.
“But we can all play darts. My first game on stage against Luke, I beat him. So you never know.”
Van Gerwen the inspiration
Danny Noppert is trying to emulate his compatriot Michael van Gerwen.
Ahead of his semi-final against Luke Humphries tonight, the world No13 revealed his admiration for MVG.
He said: “I try to be as good as Michael. But of course he’s the best player there’s ever been. I try to be like him, but not yet.”
Van Gerwen suffered a shock defeat to Dirk van Duijvenbode is round one.
De Decker responds to ‘boring’ claim
Luke Littler was not challenged in his round two victory over Mike De Decker and claimed the clash was “boring”.
The world champion said: “Mike didn’t play his best there and I just had to play along.
“It was a bit boring at times, obviously I expected something from the reigning champion, but he just couldn’t get those doubles to get him going on the scoring most of the time.
De Decker has now responded, saying: “That he found the match ‘boring’? Well, if that’s what he thinks… Good for him. That’s his opinion.”
Littler ‘definitely beatable’
Defending champion Mike De Decker was knocked out in the second round 3-0 by Luke Littler.
The Belgian struggled to land doubles at the start and it allowed The Nuke to cruise to a routine win.
Reflecting on his performance, De Decker said: “I was incredibly disappointed. Look at my average. After the second set, I saw on the screen that I’d thrown 8 out of 42 doubles or something.
“It doesn’t matter who you’re playing against. That way, you’ll have problems against anyone.
“It was just a bad match for me. He wasn’t great either, but it just didn’t fly.
“Those doubles just wouldn’t work. When you do that with this format it becomes difficult.
De Decker went on to add: “So Littler was definitely beatable. Everyone’s always beatable, sometimes it’s just harder than others.”
Rollercoaster of emotions
Luke Littler felt every emotion during last night’s quarter-final clash with Gerwyn Price.
World champion Luke Littler hit a sensational 152 checkout in the deciding leg of a thrilling World Grand Prix quarter-final against Gerwyn Price to reach the last four in Leicester.
That wonderful finish capped the 18-year-old’s fightback from two sets down against 2020 World Grand Prix winner Price, who missed three match darts at doubles in the fourth set.
Littler had seemed poised for victory in the final set before Price took out an incredible 156 finish to send the match into a sudden-death leg, in which the Welshman had the advantage of throwing first.
Both players struggled to find an opening double in the decider and neither scored heavily, until the English teenager’s moment of magic finished the match.
After Littler found double 16 to complete his memorable win, former world champion Price smiled and applauded from the back of the stage before the pair shared a warm embrace.
Six-time champion Michael van Gerwen was beaten by a fellow Dutchman in the first round of the World Grand Prix, but Luke Littler came through a high-quality opener.
Van Gerwen won a top-level tournament for the first time in two years by beating Littler in the World Series Finals in September, but on Tuesday he produced an error-strewn performance to lose 2-0 against Dirk van Duijvenbode.
Although world number three Van Gerwen threw a stunning 171 in the first leg, he otherwise struggled and suffered first-round elimination for the second year running.
Littler, however, stormed into the second round in Leicester with an 11-minute straight-set win against another Dutchman, Gian van Veen.
Both players averaged over 100 in a superb first set as Littler came from behind to take it 3-2.
Despite Van Veen finishing with a 106.47 average – the highest average in tournament history – and Littler 105.58, it was the Briton who won through to continue his quest for a first World Grand Prix title.
“I am very happy. I don’t think I could have done a lot better there. I certainly played better than last year,” Littler told Sky Sports.
“I said I would be fiery in my pre-match interview and I showed a bit of that. Hopefully this is my next major.”
Gerwyn Price defeated Ryan Searle 2-1, before Peter Wright lost to defending champion Mike de Decker by the same scoreline.
“But you can’t take anything for granted in this game. These players are hungry.
“I need to keep on my toes, keep on the practice board, make sure I stay humble.”
Premier League Darts star Stephen Bunting ‘moonlighting as Rangers steward’ as incredible Ibrox doppelganger spotted
After beating Chris Landman on Saturday night, he explained his shoes dilemma, saying: “I was playing in expensive shoes without the spikes, and they were marking.
“So, my idea is use the spikes and they won’t touch the oche and they will last a lot longer.
“And if someone upsets me, they will get one of them in the back!”
LUKE LITTLER has revealed he has failed his driving theory test once again – and it is frustrating the hell out of him.
The Nuke is the best darts player on the planet but he is not yet ready to get on the roads by himself.
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Littler is the World Champion and has a car ready to drive when he does finally pass his theory and practical testsCredit: SHUTTERSTOCK
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The 18-year-old described his latest effort as “a bad one” having shared his fifth failure (pictured) in the summerCredit: Instagram @lukethenukelittler
Having turned 18 last January, he is desperate to enjoy the freedom of being able to drive himself to tournaments and to see pals on his own terms.
Yet the theory test has so far proved extremely difficult for him to master – it has taken him SIX attempts and counting.
On the multiple choice part, he scored 41 out of 50 – the pass mark is 43 – and he got 44 out of 75 for the hazard perception part, which is barely passable.
He got questions wrong back then in relation to hazard awareness, alertness, safety, motorway rules and road and traffic signs.
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BARRY HEARN reckons Luke Littler has made darts so popular that there aren’t enough days in the year to squeeze in the amount of events needed to meet fan demand.
The PDC chairman has said that “main man” Littler is one of the reasons behind darts‘ incredible growth in recent years.
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Barry Hearn has said Luke Littler has made darts so popular he could fill the calendar twice overCredit: Getty
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Littler has become a sensation since bursting onto the sceneCredit: Shutterstock Editorial
Littler, 18, burst onto the scene at the 2024 World Championship and has since cemented himself as one of the best players in the world.
His meteoric rise has seen him be crowned world champion on his second attempt, pocket in excess of £1MILLION in prize money and add over 15 PDC titles to a growing trophy cabinet.
Speaking to Sky Sports about what Littler’s emergence has done for the sport, Hearn said: “It’s [darts] just getting bigger and bigger.
“I’m actually having a problem that there is only 365 days in a year!
“The demand worldwide is so huge that I could fill that twice.”
Adding: “It’s non stop. The players are responding with performances beyond what I’ve ever seen in my life, in terms of averages and checkouts.
“Led by the main man Luke Littler, who is fast becoming a phenomenon.”
Watch Luke Littler’s ‘top s***housery’ to crowd while he is getting booed during Win Series of Darts final vs Van Gerwen
Speaking on the changes, Hearn said: “This is the first year where our prize money goes past £25million, World Championship is worth £1million, more European events because of demand in Europe.
“So, they don’t have that person slowing them down.
“I used to try and practice with somebody if I could to keep me in that rhythm of playing.
Luke Littler responds to calls for him to retire after Australian Darts Masters
“So, that is why a lot when a player plays a younger player [like Littler], they start slowing them down to put them off because they are not used to it.
“Anybody who plays Luke Littler will slow their throw down.”
This year has been a success for Littler as he has already won the World Darts Championship, World Matchplay, Belgian Darts Open and UK Open among others.
Teenager Luke Littler beat defending champion Luke Humphries 8-4 to win the New Zealand Masters in Auckland and complete a World Series double after his victory in Australia last week.
The world champion saw off Mike de Decker 6-2 and Gerwyn Price 7-2 in the quarter-finals and semi-finals respectively on Saturday before setting up yet another showdown with Humphries.
Littler threatened to make light work of the world number one, cruising into a 3-0 lead before being pegged back to 3-2.
The 18-year-old again rattled off three legs in a row to move 6-3 in the lead before eventually wrapping up an impressive 8-4 victory.
“I felt untouchable tonight,” Littler said.
“It couldn’t have gone any better – the scoring, the doubles and then in the final I just felt untouchable.”
The Englishman recorded an average of 115.02 on his way to victory – the highest average ever in a World Series event final.
It was the fourth consecutive success for Littler against Humphries and edges him ahead in their career head-to-head with eight wins to seven.
“I was really good tonight and he [Humphries] couldn’t do much,” Littler added. I was disappointed going in 4-2 because it could have been 5-1 or 6-0.
“I just want to win everything that comes my way – the next one is Antwerp for the European tour so hopefully I can make it four titles in a row.”
LUKE LITTLER has learned to block out the haters and hecklers, saying: I just let my darts do the talking.
The Nuke is heading to Auckland for part two of his Down Under jaunt this summer.
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Luke Littler was unhappy with members of the Wollongong crowd during the finalCredit: ITV
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The Nuke reacted to someone who had called out, claiming he was “rubbish”Credit: ITV
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Littler and girlfriend Faith enjoyed their time in Australia and visited a zooCredit: Instagram @lukethenukelittler
The 18-year-old banked £30,000 on Saturday when he beat Belgian thrower Mike De Decker 8-4 in the final of the Australian Darts Masters in Wollongong.
It was his fourth success on the World Series of Darts circuit and was equally impressive given that he had not practised ahead of this 21,000-mile round trip.
Every time he failed to hit a treble during the evening’s three games, a group of locals shouted out “rubbish, rubbish” and someone even bizarrely said he was “washed”.
This comment perplexed Littler but it is believed to mean he is supposed to be washed-up and not as good as he used to – which is clearly not the case.
The more he wins, the more he will be targeted by irate punters but even for someone so young, he has learned to rise above it all.
There have been times in Germany where he has been singled out and he was asked if he had gotten used to dealing with a portion of the crowd being on his back.
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Littler, in his second season as a pro, said: “For myself, the first time I hear it, I will obviously do something, but then I will let it go by.
“Just do my darts. Let the darts do the talking.
“No-one has taught me how to deal with much. I just get on with things. You are on stage alone.
“No-one else is with you. No-one else is going to help you unless it’s a few guys from the crowd. Yeah, you have just got to get on with it.”
Littler – who is on the two-week trip with new girlfriend Faith – is in good form and in a good mood, telling his rivals that his confidence is sky high.
No-one else is with you. No-one else is going to help you unless it’s a few guys from the crowd. Yeah, you have just got to get on with it.
Luke Littler on dealing hecklers while on the stage
An early-morning flight to Kiwi country means shifting his body clock by another two hours – he has already said he struggles with jetlag on the other side of the world.
Last year, the Warrington teen was defeated in a last-leg decider 7-6 by world No.1 Luke Humphries in the semi-finals at the Globox Arena in Hamilton.
Littler, the newly-crowned World Matchplay champion, says he has a policy of practising hard for the big TV events but for the smaller ones, he will simply rock up and do his thing.
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The Nuke lifted the World Matchplay in Blackpool last monthCredit: Getty
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Before he turned 18, Littler lifted the Sid Waddell Trophy at Ally PallyCredit: Getty
The world No.2 said: “I’m very happy. My debut last year in Australia didn’t go to plan. But second time lucky.
“I want to be winning things. We look to New Zealand next week.
“I will enjoy this. But then it’s an early flight again. An extra two hours ahead – so I will definitely be needing some sleep.
“It’s only my second time coming to New Zealand. I didn’t do much last year.
“We can make the most of four to five days and then once it comes to Friday that is when the darts starts again.
“I’m feeling confident. This is the most confident I have felt in a very long time.
“For myself I know how much I will practise, how much I have been doing.
“But yeah I practised really well for the World Matchplay and won it. I think I will practise for the big ones.
“As a player, you are on stage for a long time. You practise leading up to it and when you are on stage, you gain that confidence.
“You get warmer and you find those four or five gears.”
