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
Luke Littler will return to defend his titleCredit: Reuters
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Luke Humphries will be looking to regain the title at Ally PallyCredit: PA
World Darts Championship 2025 tickets and prices
StubHub are offering tickets for sale for every session of the tournament, at the time of writing.
The cheapest tickets available are currently priced at £145 per person for the evening session on Thursday, December 18.
There are tickets on the site available at a range of prices.
Tickets for the final, for example, are priced from £380 at the time of writing – these are for seats on the outskirts rather than a table in the middle.
The cheapest table seats for the final start at £940 each.
For those looking for hospitality tickets, Seat Unique is offering packages – although is asking for those interested to register their interest.
There is no pricing available at the time of writing, with details expected soon.
Are tickets for the World Darts Championship still on sale?
Yes, tickets are available, but fans will have to buy from secondary ticketing sites.
PDCTV annual members were able to have first dibs at tickets during a pre-sale.
That took place on August 4 and August 5, 2025.
There was then the chance for others to put their name into a free-to-enter ticket ballot.
Registrations for the ballot opened on August 6 and then closed on August 15.
Tickets are now available on third-party ticketing sites, although the PDC have previously warned fans about purchasing tickets this way.
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.
PLANS for Riyadh Season 2025 have been formally announced – with WWE and darts events now on the agenda.
As part of the Middle Eastern sporting bonanza which starts this week and runs until early next year, Saudi Arabia will host the Royal Rumble, becoming the first nation outside of North America to take on a marquee WWE event.
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Cody Rhodes and other WWE superstars will head to Saudi for the Royal RumbleCredit: Getty
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Saudi darts fans will get a closer look at Luke Littler at the Saudi Arabia Darts MastersCredit: PA
They are also expected to stage Wrestlemania in 2027.
The Kingdom will host the Saudi Arabia Darts Masters in January as part of the World Series of Darts.
The PDC has never taken a professional darts event to Saudi before.
Chairman of the Saudi General Entertainment Authority, Turki Alalshikh, announced the plans for Riyadh Season 2025 in a press conference on Sunday.
Alalshikh has previously said he wants to try something “crazy” with darts – but it is not yet clear what he has up his sleeve.
The Riyadh Season Snooker Championship remains on the calendar, along with high-profile events in tennis and boxing.
Ring IV will feature boxing showdowns including David Benavidez vs Anthony Yarde and Brian Norman Jr. vs Devin Haney.
A parade in Boulevard City will kick off Riyadh Season 2025 on October 10.
Tyson Fury arrives in Riyadh to meet with promoter Turki Alalshikh
The entertainment extravaganza will feature 15 global championships as well as 34 exhibitions and festivals.
And Alalshikh estimates that its brand value has reached £2.4BILLION.
Organisers said: “Riyadh Season 2025 will be a defining milestone in the history of global entertainment, emphasising that Riyadh has become the emblem of a new era of creativity, culture, and international entertainment excellence.”
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Jannik Sinner won last year’s Six Kings SlamCredit: Getty
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Turki Alalshikh announced plans for Riyadh Season 2025 on SundayCredit: Getty
“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.
*World-leading darts manufacturer Target Darts opened the UK’s ultimate darting pop-up experience in Manchester to celebrate their biggest-ever product launch. For more details on the lastest darts products, please visit:www.target-darts.co.uk
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.
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.”
ADRIAN LEWIS loves how the fearless Luke Littler behaves on the oche – and has no issue if his records are wiped out.
Littler, 18, heads Down Under this week to take part in World Series of Darts events in Australia and New Zealand.
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Luke Littler completed the Triple Crown at the World MatchplayCredit: Getty
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Adrian Lewis could make a darts comebackCredit: Getty
His last appearance on the oche saw him lift the Betfred World Matchplay – beating James Wade 18-13 in the final in Blackpool to complete the sport’s Triple Crown.
In the semi-finals, The Nuke hit a stunning nine-darter against Josh Rock and instead of going wild at the feat, he simply shrugged his shoulders.
Almost like Lewis, 40, used to do after perfect legs, as if to say: ‘Well, what else do you expect from someone as talented as me?’
When the tournament was over, Littler had hit 64 180s across five games, eight more maximums than the previous record of 56 set by Jackpot in 2013.
Far from feeling angry or jealous, Lewis approves of the audacity of Littler’s antics, saying: “I love it. Anything like that, I think it’s great for the game, you need characters.
“I have said it for years, I do believe that, and Luke is certainly one of them.
“First of all, him reaching the world final on his first appearance at Ally Pally was unbelievable.
“To do what he has done since, becoming world champion and still maintaining his form, he’s a credit to himself, his family and the sport.
“The sport is in good hands. The two Lukes, and Josh Rock, they are all very professional, they do their jobs.
“That is what darts needs. It is becoming more and more professional as time goes on.
Luke Littler takes part in annual fishing competition
“The Matchplay was definitely up there. The standard of it throughout was brilliant.
“Luke Littler hitting a nine-darter always helped. The semis-finals and final made it a great, great tournament.”
Later this month, Lewis will mark his return to televised darts – after a near two-and-half year absence.
The two-time world champion last threw competitive darts in front of the cameras at the PDC’s UK Open in 2023 at Butlin’s Minehead.
After that tournament, he decided to walk away from the sport for family reasons and having fallen out of love with the game.
His wife Sarah has “an incurable kidney disease” and his son “has autism and ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder)”, which has meant his full-time concentration and care.
His comeback will be the MODUS Super Series in Portsmouth at 10pm on Thursday August 28 – and should it all go well, he may attend PDC Q School in January.
If he regains his professional Tour Card, he will be reunited with old sparring partner Wade, who turned back the clock to reach the Matchplay final last month against expectation
Stoke-born Lewis said: “I don’t think James dropped below a 100 average all the way through the tournament, which takes some doing itself.
“To still do that after he has been playing for 20-odd years, he’s a credit to the sport as well. I think he is very underlooked a lot of the time.
“Certainly, to me he has been the best finisher in the world over the last 20 years.
“He deserves more respect, definitely. That might put him in the Premier League next year, which he thoroughly deserves as well.
“He will just go from strength to strength and get more and more confidence.
“Obviously he reached another final and I think he can do big things again.”
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Littler hit a nine-darter in the semi-final before seeing off James Wade to clinch the Matchplay titleCredit: Getty
Josh Rock burst into tears on stage after Northern Ireland won a dramatic World Cup last leg decider.
His team partner Daryl Gurney hit double eight to wrap up an epic 10-9 win over Wales in the final in Frankfurt last night (Sunday).
Rock, 24, and Gurney then dropped to their knees on stage in scenes of incredible emotion as they picked up their first world titles and an £80,000 jackpot.
He said: “When we said we are paired together we’ll win it. We didn’t expect to do it, but we did it.
“As a team we were fantastic. We fought hard all the way through.”
Credit: Getty
Debut fizzles out for Dutchman
Gian van Veen had a great tournament personally but could not take his team all the way to the trophy.
The disappointment will be raw right now but when he reflects on it, there is a lot he can learn from it.
It should give him the confidence that if he is on his game, he cann beat anyone on the darts circuit right now.
Credit: Getty
Making a country proud
Northern Ireland have produced plenty of good darts players over the years but winning a World Cup requires something very different.
They came into this tournament as fourth seeds, full of talent, but unable to produce it enough with the regularity needed to win titles.
Both players put the comments of the doubters to one side and produced the best darts of their careers in Germany.
This victory is something special and this pair will be partying long into the night, something they have surely earned this weekend.
ENGLAND will be represented by a double dose of Luke this week as Littler and Humphries pair up at the World Cup of Darts 2025 – and the action is unfolding RIGHT NOW!
The men’s England football team failed to bring it home during the Euro 2024, but Luke Humphries and Michael Smith made the nation proud in last year’s World Cup of Darts.
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Michael Smith (L) and Luke Humphries (R) fired England to an iconic World Cup of Darts winCredit: PDC
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Humphries and Littler represented England this yearCredit: PA
A combination of composure and superb throwing saw Cool Hand and Bully Boy beat their Austrian opponents 10-6 in an epic final.
And it was a result that wrote England’s name in the history books as they now hold the record for the most amount of wins in the iconic competition with five.
Sadly for Smith, his world ranking positioning meant he missed out on the chance to retain back-to-back titles.
And England could have done with him after Luke Littler and Humphries got dumped out by Germany in their opening match.
Read more World Cup of Darts
Welsh stars Jonny Clayton and Gerwyn Price are now firm favourites to lift the title.
When is the World Cup of Darts 2025?
The World Cup of Darts 2025 got underway on Thursday, June 12.
It will run over four days, concluding on Sunday, June 15.
Eissporthalle am Ratsweg in Frankfurt, Germany is the chosen venue for this iconic tournament.
Group stage matches begin at 6pm BST and then the latter stage fixtures are split in afternoon sessions (11am/12pm) and evening sessions (6pm).
The quarter-finals, semi-final and final will ALL be held on Sunday, June 15.
What TV channel is the World Cup of Darts 2025 on and can it be live streamed?
The World Cup of Darts 2025 will be broadcast LIVE on Sky Sports.
Subscription members can stream the entire four-day event on NOW TV.
Alternatively, SunSport will be running a live blog providing leg-by-leg coverage of the World Cup of Darts 2025.
What is the World Cup of Darts 2025 format?
There will be 40 different nations taking part at this year’s World Cup of Darts.
The top four seeded nations go straight into the second round, while the remaining 36 nations are split into 12 groups of three.
Each group winner will progress through to the second round, and then the tournament will be knockout from then on.
And each group stage game sees teams compete in a best-of-seven legs match, before the second round, quarter-finals and semi-finals are all best of 15 legs.
The World Cup final will then be best of 19 legs.
All matches are played in the doubles format, with teammates taking turns at the oche.
World Cup of Darts 2025 groups
Group A
Netherlands (Danny Noppert and Gian van Veen)
Italy (Michele Turetta and Massimo Dalla Rosa)
Hungary (Gyorgy Jehirszki and Gergely Lakatos)
Group B
Belgium (Mike de Decker and Dimitri van den Bergh)
Latvia (Madars Razma and Valters Melderis)
Philippines (Lourence Ilagan and Paolo Nebrida)
Group C
Germany (Martin Schindler and Ricardo Pietreczko)
Portugal (Jose de Sousa and Bruno Nascimento)
Singapore (Paul Lim and Phuay Wei Tan)
Group D
Republic of Ireland (William O’Connor and Keane Barry)
Gibraltar (Craig Galliano and Justin Hewitt)
China (Xiaochen Zong and Lihao Wen)
Group E
Poland (Krzysztof Ratajski and Radek Szaganski)
South Africa (Cameron Carolissen and Devon Petersen)
Norway (Cor Dekker and Kent Joran Sivertsen)
Group F
Canada (Matt Campbell and Jim Long)
Malaysia (Tengku Shah and Tan Jenn Ming)
Denmark (Denjamin Drue Reus and Andreas Hyllgaardhus)
Group G
Sweden (Jeffrey de Graaf and Oskar Lukasiak)
Lithuania (Darius Labanauskas and Mindaugas Barauskas)
France (Thibault Tricole and Jacques Labre)
Group H
Austria (Mensur Suljovic and Rusty-Jake Rodriguez)
Spain (Daniel Zapata and Ricardo Fernandez)
Australia (Damon Heta and Simon Whitlock)
Group I
United States (Danny Lauby and Jules van Dongen)
Hong Kong (Man Lok Leung and Lok Yin Lee)
Bahrain (Sadeq Mohamed and Hasan Bucheeri)
Group J
Czech Republic (Karel Sedlacek and Petr Krivka)
India (Nitin Kumar and Mohan Goel)
Chinese Taipei (Teng Lieh Pupo and An-Sheng Lu)
Group K
Croatia (Pero Ljubic and Boris Krcmar)
Japan (Ryusei Azemoto and Tomoya Goto)
Switzerland (Stefan Bellmont and Alex Fehlmann)
Group L
Finland (Teemu Harju and Marko Kantele)
New Zealand (Haupai Puha and Mark Cleaver)
Argentina (Jesus Salate and Victor Guillin)
World Cup of Darts 2025 schedule and results
Thursday June 12 From 6pm BST Group Stage – Opening Matches
Sweden 4-1 Lithuania
Czech Republic 4-2 Chinese Taipei
Croatia 3-4 Japan
Ireland 4-2 Gibraltar
Canada 1-4 Malaysia
USA 1-4 Hong Kong
Poland 4-3 South Africa
Belgium 4-1 Latvia
Netherlands 4-0 Italy
Germany 4-2 Portugal
Austria 4-1 Spain
Finland 0-4 New Zealand
Friday June 13 Afternoon Session From 11am BST Group Stage – Second Matches
Lithuania 4-3 France
Chinese Taipei 4-2 India
Croatia 4-3 Switzerland
Gibraltar 4-2 China
Canada 1-4 Denmark
USA 4-1 Bahrain
South Africa 4-1 Norway
Latvia 2-4 Philippines
Italy 4-0 Hungary
Portugal 2-4 Singapore
Spain 0-4 Australia
Finland 1-4 Argentina
Evening Session From 6pm BST Group Stage – Final Matches
Sweden 3-4 France
Czech Republic 4-2 India
Japan 1-4 Switzerland
Ireland 2-4 China
Malaysia 4-1 Denmark
Hong Kong 4-0 Bahrain
Poland 2-4 Norway
Belgium 3-4 Philippines
Netherlands 4-0 Hungary
Germany 4-0 Singapore
Austria 1-4 Australia
New Zealand 3-4 Argentina
Saturday June 14 Afternoon Session From 12pm BST Second Round
The world number one said: “I’m extremely honoured and delighted to be receiving an MBE in the King’s Birthday Honours for services to darts.
“To be recognised by the King for what I have achieved, and also for my contribution to playing in and promoting the sport that I love, is something that I never thought possible, but I’m very grateful that it has become a reality.
“I have enjoyed the highest of highs in darts in becoming world number one and winning the biggest tournaments that the game has to offer, but to be awarded the MBE will rank alongside any of those achievements.
“I have to give a massive thanks to my fiancée Kayley, and my family, particularly my mum and dad, who have been a constant source of support over the years and helped make me the person that I am today.
“To say that I’m looking forward to visiting Buckingham Palace is an understatement. To receive the MBE there with my family with me is something that I’ll cherish for the rest of my life.
“I’ll continue to be a good ambassador for darts, and help pave the way for future generations to be involved and succeed in a sport that has given so much to me.”
Littler reacts to MBE
The 18-year-old said: “This is an amazing and unexpected honour but one which I am very grateful for.
“To receive a recognition like this is something I had never thought would be possible, and it is a proud moment.
“It’s unbelievable what I’ve done for my sport; I’m happy, my family is happy and I can’t wait to receive it.
“Congratulations to Luke Humphries on receiving an MBE too – he’s a fantastic ambassador for darts, and although he’s a rival, I can’t wait to partner him in the World Cup this weekend.”
ICYMI
From Alexandra Palace to the Royal Palaces, what an extraordinary ride it has been for Luke Littler.
Two years ago, he was just a normal, kebab-eating kid from Warrington who dreamt of one day making money from darts.
What has happened since is one of the most sensational stories in British sport.
A shock World Championship final run in 2024, turning pro, taking the oche by storm, global popularity, the 2025 world title at just 17 and more than £2million in prize money and sponsorship.
Littler has even had novelty kebabs named in his honour.
And now he will go, by royal appointment, to collect an MBE as part of the King’s Birthday Honours list.
Draw reaction
Good job England and Scotland were both seeded…
They’ve been handed a couple of huge ties against Germany and Netherlands!
It’s all set up for a sensational day of action tomorrow!
Humphries reacts
On his MBE, Humphries said: “I’m extremely honoured and delighted to be receiving an MBE in the King’s Birthday Honours for services to darts.
“To be recognised by the King for what I have achieved, and also for my contribution to playing in and promoting the sport that I love, is something that I never thought possible, but I’m very grateful that it has become a reality.
“I have enjoyed the highest of highs in darts in becoming world number one and winning the biggest tournaments that the game has to offer, but to be awarded the MBE will rank alongside any of those achievements.
“I have to give a massive thanks to my fiancée Kayley, and my family, particularly my mum and dad, who have been a constant source of support over the years and helped make me the person that I am today.
“To say that I’m looking forward to visiting Buckingham Palace is an understatement. To receive the MBE there with my family with me is something that I’ll cherish for the rest of my life.
“I’ll continue to be a good ambassador for darts, and help pave the way for future generations to be involved and succeed in a sport that has given so much to me.”
He won £275,000 for winning the title to add to three nightly wins of £30k in total and picking up gold darts worth £30k for a nine-darter.
Bet UK revealed that this meant the Leeds fan earned a mind-blowing £19,706 per week. That worked out at £1,006 per leg, £9,306 per match and £4,926 per hour.
Teen sensation Littler didn’t do so bad either as runner-up.
He earned an astonishing £12,647 per week on average in the BetMGM Premier League season.
With each night taking around four hours to complete, Littler earned a jaw-dropping £3.1k per hour from the competition.
He played the most matches in the Premier League, racking up 37 matches in 16 weeks, during the regular season, earning £90,000 in the process.
He then played two matches on Finals Night, where he finished second after his 11-8 defeat in the final to Humphries, claiming a further £125,000 as a consolation prize and taking his prize money total to £215,000.
Research by BetUK reveals Littler earned £5,513 per match and £556 per leg this season.
Luke Littler and Luke Humphries play out ‘best darts match ever’ as Wayne Mardle says ‘even they’re finding it funny’
Gerwyn Price also had a really successful season, earning a total of £175,000 in prize money.
That breaks down to £10,294 per week, £665 per leg and £6,250 per match.
Price’s average earnings also work out to be higher than Littler’s, despite earning less prize money, as the Welshman played 11 fewer games and more than 100 fewer legs than the superstar.
A Littler hold of throw as the break came at the right time for Littler – he’s won four of the five legs since!
That one sees him miss D12 for an 84 checkout but Price isn’t on a finish to punish, leaving Littler the chance to come back for D6 and takes it.
Luke Littler 7-7 Gerwyn Price*
Another BREAK of throw as Littler brings the match back level again!
He could’ve wrapped it up early, missing a dart at D16 for a superb 143 checkout. Price can’t take out 160, leaving Littler to come back for D16 and he takes it with his second dart.
Reminder, it’s first to 10. No margin for error from here.
*Luke Littler 6-7 Gerwyn Price
Ohh what a dart from Gerwyn Price to BREAK the Littler throw once more!
Price had a dart on the floor in his set-up too and Littler leaves 40 to put the pressure on the 86 Price did eventually leave.
Single 18, T18 leaves D7 and he finds it superbly!
Luke Littler 6-6 Gerwyn Price*
It looked a monumental leg and Littler BREAKS Price for it!
Back all-square as Price misses a dart at D10 for a 100 checkout, instead busting his score going into D15.
Price gets another go at it but can’t leave a finish this time as Littler misses a dart at tops this time. But he comes back for 20 and hits 10, D5 to bring us back level.
*Luke Littler 5-6 Gerwyn Price
Bloomin’ heck, he’s coming out swinging, Littler!
He misses a dart at D20 for a 10-dart hold of throw before pinning it next time for a good 11-dart leg.
That included a 180 and 147 set-up to leave 40. Maybe a sign of this second half….
Price leads at the break
Given Littler had the darts in leg one, Price will be absolutely thrilled to take a 6-4 lead into the break.
But in truth, it could and probably SHOULD be more comfortable.
Littler hasn’t got going yet and the frustration is etched across his face, even before storming off stage when Price took out the 40 in leg 10.
Price is leading the 180 count 3-1, more 140s, better checkout success and highest checkout!
