Luke Littler delivered an outstanding performance at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool, cruising to a 17-5 victory over Dirk van Duijvenbode and earning his place in the World Matchwise Darts final opposite Gerwyn Price. The young Englishman continued to shock analysts with his numbers: he posted a 110.88 three‑dart average, launched sixteen 180s and hit doubles at a 50 percent success rate. Those statistics sit alongside an earlier 113‑plus average and a nine‑dart finish against Nathan Aspinall, plus 109‑average wins over Niko Springer and Josh Rock in the quarter‑finals.
Beyond the raw figures, Littler achieved a historic financial milestone, becoming the first PDC competitor to amass £3 million in prize money. That puts him a full £2 million ahead of his nearest rival, Luke Humphries, who sits second in the world rankings. He also has the chance to become the first player in a decade to retain the Blackpool title – Michael van Gerwen last accomplished back‑to‑back victories in 2015‑16.
The match‑play triumph is a crucial piece of Littler’s broader ambition to sweep every major trophy on the 2026 calendar. He already holds the World Darts Championship, the UK Open, the Premier League and the Masters, and he will be defending the Matchplay, the Grand Slam, the Grand Prix and the Players Championship Finals later this year. In a recent interview with Sky Sports, the 22‑year‑old champion summed up his mindset: “I want to stay dominant, keep winning, and ultimately break Phil Taylor’s record as world number 1 for three or four years.
We’ll be back tomorrow and aim for another back‑to‑back title.” Littler’s semi‑final against van Duijvenbode began in dominant fashion. He opened with an 11‑dart leg, followed by a 12‑dart finish, and quickly surged to a 4‑1 lead. The second session saw him extend the advantage to 8‑2, delivering relentless scoring that left his opponent with little chance.
During that stretch he recorded seven 180s, twelve 140s, only three visits without a treble, and maintained a 117.10 average. Although he dropped the 11th leg, he responded by stringing together a series of high‑checkouts, including a 130 finish (T20, T20, D5) to close the session. Even on what he described as his “weakest” session, his average was only 0.9 points shy of Phil Taylor’s Matchplay record of 114.99. By the third session Littler was 16‑4 up, needing just one more leg to seal his place in the final.
A brief lapse in double accuracy allowed van Duijvenbode to claw the match back to the 22nd leg, where Littler missed five match darts. He finally broke the deadlock with two consecutive maximums, set up a tops finish after 12 darts and then clinched the leg, securing a commanding win.
On the other side of the draw, Gerwyn Price – often dubbed the “Iceman” – booked his final‑spot with a 17‑10 triumph over Dutchman Gian van Veen. The victory lifted Price to world number 4 and reclaimed the Welsh number‑one ranking from Jonny Clayton. “I’m thrilled to be Wales’ number 1 again,” Price told Sky Sports.
“It’s a matter of pride. I’ve been playing well this season, and moving into the top four, one spot ahead of Jonny, feels great.” Price’s semi‑final was a story of early dominance, a mid‑match surge from van Veen, and a decisive closing spell.
He opened strongly, breaking twice and hitting a silky 125 checkout in the fifth leg to lead 4‑1. Van Veen fought back to 6‑4, but Price responded with a run of five consecutive breaks, extending his lead to 10‑7. In the final session Price’s signature “booyah” celebration rang out after each big dart as he averaged over 111, taking four straight legs and finishing the match on a tops checkout in the 27th leg.
The women’s World Matchplay will also be on display later on Sunday, with defending champion Lisa Ashton returning and Beau Greaves aiming for a third title in four years. The 2026 Betfred World Matchplay final is scheduled for that evening, featuring Littler versus Price in a best‑of‑35‑leg showdown.
Live coverage begins at 7.30 pm on Sky Sports Action and Sky Sports Main Event, with the final expected to start around 8.15 pm. Viewers can also stream the action via NOW. Littler’s meteoric rise has already rewritten several chapters of darts history, but he remains hungry for more.
His next target is to eclipse Phil Taylor’s long‑standing reign as world number 1, a record that has stood for decades. With his blend of clinical scoring, relentless double accuracy and a calm confidence on the big stage, Littler appears poised to chase that ambition throughout the remainder of 2026 and beyond.