Sky Sports Darts analyst Mark Webster has hailed Luke Littler's recent triumph at the World Matchplay as perhaps the most impressive major campaign ever witnessed in the sport. Littler capped a historic week with a commanding 18-9 victory over Gerwyn Price in the final, posting a new final‑match average of 111.53 – a figure that eclipses all previous records for a Matchplay final. In addition to the spectacular average, Littler also surpassed his own benchmark for 180s hit throughout the tournament, raising the tally from 64 in 2025 to an astonishing 66 in 2026. The Blackpool win marked only the fourth instance of a player securing back‑to‑back Matchplay titles, and it was the first such double in a decade.
This achievement also keeps Littler’s quest for a clean sweep of the year's premier titles alive. He already holds the World Darts Championship, UK Open, Premier League, Masters and now the Matchplay crown. Later this season he will defend the Grand Slam, Grand Prix and the Players Championship Finals, and he is eyeing a European Championship triumph that would give him every major trophy on the PDC calendar.
Webster believes Littler’s performance at the Matchplay represents the greatest major display in darts history and signals that the world number one is increasingly likely to hold all of the sport’s top titles simultaneously. "I keep asking myself – what can the other players cling to now?
Where is the weakness? What do they do?" he asked after the final.
"He is playing fantastically at the moment and forcing his opponents to miss. It’s a recipe for dominance." The commentator noted that Littler seems to set personal challenges within each tournament, constantly pushing his own standards. "The tournament average has been on his mind.
He is setting a challenge inside a challenge," Webster explained. "Winning a major is huge, but he keeps adding little goals within that victory. Soon we might see him leaving 170s on the board because he is simply outclassing his competition." Littler’s confidence appears unshakable.
"He is in a completely dominant mood. He trusts everything he does, and you have to admire that. We might think he can’t get any better, but he will keep trying," Webster said. The darts star’s relentless pursuit of higher averages is evident in his 111.53 tournament average, a statistic that Webster believes could be eclipsed within the next twelve months.
"I half expect him to win every major in 2026," the analyst added, suggesting that even the European Championship and the Players Championship could fall under Littler’s control. For rivals trying to close the gap, the question now is what steps they should take next. Records have crumbled, Littler has dominated in Blackpool, and his focus is already shifting to the challenges that lie ahead. His last loss in a major that extended beyond 20 legs came at the hands of Luke Humphries in the 2024 World Darts Championship, underscoring how rarely he has been beaten at the highest level.
Webster predicts that any competitor hoping to threaten Littler will need to raise the bar dramatically. "It sends a message to the rest of the pack about the standard required to get anywhere near him.
Every player from this event will take stock of what happened," he said. He cited Luke Humphries, who will need to refocus after an early exit, and Michael van Gerwen, who has slipped to world No. 7 and must regroup after a runner‑up finish at the World Darts Championship two years ago. Looking ahead, the next PDC‑ranked televised major is the BoyleSports World Grand Prix, scheduled for 28 September–4 October at Leicester’s Mattioli Arena and broadcast live on Sky Sports.
Littler will return as the defending champion after last year’s victory over Humphries in the double‑in, double‑out format. Following that, the Grand Slam of Darts in Wolverhampton (14–22 November) and the World Darts Championship (10 December–3 January) will also be shown on Sky Sports, with Littler aiming to retain both titles.
In summary, Luke Littler’s Matchplay triumph has not only added another trophy to his rapidly growing collection but also set a new benchmark for excellence in darts. His record‑breaking average, unprecedented number of 180s, and back‑to‑back titles signal a player at the peak of his powers, one who appears determined to capture every major on the calendar.
As commentators and fellow professionals analyze his performance, the consensus is clear: Littler has raised the bar for the sport, and anyone hoping to challenge him will need to reach unprecedented heights. The coming months promise more high‑stakes contests, and all eyes will be on Littler as he strives to cement his place as the most dominant force in modern darts.