At just 18 years old, Luke Littler has done it again. On January 3, 2026, the young English phenom stormed to a breathtaking 7-1 victory over Dutch rising star Gian van Veen in the World Darts Championship final at London’s iconic Alexandra Palace, securing his second consecutive Sid Waddell trophy and writing yet another chapter in his already remarkable career.
For fans tuning in from across the globe, the anticipation was palpable. The final, broadcast live via Peacock and NBC Sports NOW in the United States and streamed on PDC TV worldwide, capped off a record-breaking tournament featuring 128 competitors and a jaw-dropping £5,000,000 prize fund. Littler’s win not only cemented his status as the sport’s brightest young talent but also earned him a life-changing £1,000,000—the largest winner’s cheque in darts history.
But the path to glory wasn’t always smooth. Littler, who had been a tour de force all year—winning five of the last six major tournaments and boasting a 20-match winning streak—found himself chastising his own performance after dropping the opening set to van Veen. The Dutchman, a two-time World Youth champion and world No.3, had already dispatched heavyweights Luke Humphries and Gary Anderson en route to his first senior final, and he looked determined to seize his moment.
"The scoring tonight maybe wasn’t my greatest game of the tournament and the past couple of games, I took out all my chances, today I didn’t," van Veen reflected after the match. "But as you said, Luke wasn’t in the mood to give me any more chances. He played phenomenal, he put me under pressure every leg, every set. I missed too many chances today to even make it a game. But he is a fantastic player, that’s why he is the world No 1 by a margin now. I would have liked to lift the title and give Luke a game ... but looking back at this tournament, I’m very proud to even get to the final. No 3 in the world, Dutch No 1."
Yet, if anything, adversity only seemed to fuel Littler’s fire. From the second set onward, he unleashed a relentless barrage of high scoring and clinical finishing, eventually racking up a final average of 106.02—numbers reminiscent of Phil Taylor in his prime. Littler fired in 16 maximums and delivered a ‘Big Fish’ 170 checkout, electrifying the crowd and leaving van Veen with little room to breathe.
“It feels amazing ... But just like AJ said, the first time was so nice, I had to do it twice!” Littler beamed in his post-match interview, referencing boxing star Anthony Joshua. “I started playing a bit better from the third set. I was not happy going into the break 1-0 down, I had to kick on from there. I said to myself ‘give it time, you’ll find it.’ It all came to plan. But Gian, what a tournament, he can be very happy. Every set, he was there, behind me, and I had to take my chances. You can’t think of the trophy too much, it’s right next to you on stage but you’ve just got to keep going. And I had to, and I’ve done it.”
His victory was not just about the numbers or the margin. Littler’s composure shone through even during the match’s quirkiest interruption—a now-infamous ‘Ally Pally wasp’ that buzzed the oche in the fifth set, forcing a brief pause as players and referee George Noble attempted to swat it away. The incident drew laughter and applause, but Littler’s focus never wavered. “I’ll get Angry Ginge to sort it. I say every year, someone has to put a wasp in here, they don’t just come out of nowhere. No chance!” Littler joked after the match.
As the sets rolled by, Littler’s dominance became undeniable. After conceding the first set, he reeled off seven straight, winning eight consecutive legs at one stage and never allowing van Veen a foothold. The final statistics told the story: Littler outscored his opponent in every department, from 180s to checkouts, and finished with a stunning set ratio of 32-4 across the tournament. Van Veen, for his part, managed to take just one set and eight legs in total, but his run to the final—marked by wins over top seeds and his emergence as Dutch No.1—signaled a bright future ahead.
“We are always going to have battles on everything. We might come back here in the final. We will battle week in, week out,” Littler said, acknowledging the youthful wave sweeping through darts. “I didn’t think it would be like this. The family and friends have always been there and it’s not stopping any time soon. We need to keep adding more titles, we can’t stop here. I said it all week, with Rock, Nijman, the young boys are here, we are taking over the guard, he has done it, but this game is for young players now.”
The 2026 tournament itself was one for the history books: 126 matches played over 23 days, an expanded field, and the early exit of many seeded players. New faces like Justin Hood made headlines, while veterans such as Ryan Searle and Gary Anderson enjoyed deep runs. But it was Littler who stole the show, becoming the first man since Gary Anderson a decade ago to win back-to-back world titles. His name now sits alongside legends Phil Taylor and Adrian Lewis as one of only four players to achieve consecutive world championships.
When the final dart landed—treble 20, treble 19, double 15 for a 147 checkout—Littler’s celebration was one of pure emotion. He punched the air, embraced his family and girlfriend Faith Millar on stage, and cradled the Sid Waddell Trophy as Pitbull’s "Greenlight" blared through the arena. “It is life-changing, even for this tournament, for anyone. It’s been doubled, but this win has increased this gap from Luke Humphries and I’m in the clear for No 1. First purchase? I don’t know, I can’t change car just yet. We’ll have to see,” Littler quipped about his record payday.
As the confetti settled on Alexandra Palace, darts fans everywhere knew they had witnessed something special—a teenager not just winning, but dominating on the sport’s grandest stage, and promising that this is just the beginning. The guard has truly changed, and Luke Littler stands at the forefront of a new era in darts.