Sky Sports Darts analyst Mark Webster has hailed Luke Littler’s recent triumph at the World Matchplay as possibly the most impressive major campaign the sport has ever witnessed. Littler’s performance not only secured him the title but also sent a clear signal to his rivals that a new benchmark has been set. The climax of his record‑breaking week arrived in the final, where he dispatched Gerwyn Price with a commanding 18‑9 scoreline.
In doing so, Littler posted a new final‑match average of 111.53, eclipsing all previous figures recorded in a World Matchplay final. He also surpassed his own tournament record for maximums, raising the tally from 64 in 2025 to an astonishing 66 in 2026. By clinching the Blackpool crown, Littler joined an exclusive club of only four players in the event’s history to achieve back‑to‑back titles, and he was the first to do so in a decade. The victory also keeps his quest for a clean sweep of the year’s major titles alive.
Littler’s résumé already includes the World Darts Championship, the UK Open, the Premier League, the Masters and now the Matchplay. He is set to defend the Grand Slam, the Grand Prix and the Players Championship Finals later this season, and he is also targeting the European Championship in an effort to hold every premier title simultaneously. Webster believes Littler’s dominance at the Matchplay represents the greatest major display ever seen in darts and reinforces the notion that the world number one is increasingly likely to collect every major trophy on offer at the same time.
“I keep asking myself – what can the other players cling to now? Where is the weakness? What can they do?” Webster asked after the final.
Littler’s run was characterised by relentless consistency and an ability to force his opponents into errors. "He is playing fantastic at the moment and making his rivals miss. It’s a recipe for domination," Webster noted. The Englishman also pointed out that Littler appears to set personal challenges within each tournament, constantly pushing his own limits.
"The tournament average has been on his mind. He sets a challenge inside a challenge," the commentator explained.
According to Webster, Littler’s hunger for high averages will only intensify. "He will keep craving tournament averages – he just has that will to win. This has to be the greatest campaign at a major, doesn’t it? Look at the stats – a 111 average across the event.
It’s an incredible achievement, and in twelve months’ time he’ll be looking to eclipse it again," the pundit said. Webster even speculated that Littler could capture every major title in 2026, naming the European Championship and the Players Championship as possible next steps. "I half expect it. I don’t see where you are going to get him.
European champs maybe? Players Championship? I’m just throwing things out there," he added, acknowledging the difficulty this will pose for the rest of the field. For those trying to catch up with Littler, the question now is what comes next.
He has already shattered records in Blackpool and set his sights on the next target. His last defeat in a major that extended beyond 20 legs was at the hands of Luke Humphries in the 2024 World Darts Championship, underscoring how rarely he has been beaten in long formats.
Webster believes that any challenger will need to establish "new standards" to even approach Littler’s level. "It sends a message to the rest of the pack about the standard you have to reach to get anywhere near him.
Every player from this event will take stock of what happened," he said. He highlighted that even seasoned competitors such as Luke Humphries will have to reassess after early exits, while Michael van Gerwen, now sitting at world number seven, faces a steep hill to climb after a strong finish to the year. "He was a finalist at the World Darts Championship two years ago, so there’s still money and motivation there, but he needs to work on his game," Webster observed. Looking ahead, the next PDC‑ranked televised major is the BoyleSports World Grand Prix, scheduled for 28 September to 4 October at the Mattioli Arena in Leicester and broadcast live on Sky Sports.
Littler will return as the defending champion after defeating Luke Humphries in the previous year’s double‑in, double‑out format. Later in the calendar, the Grand Slam of Darts in Wolverhampton (14‑22 November) and the World Darts Championship (10 December – 3 January) will also be aired on Sky Sports.
Littler will aim to retain both titles, further cementing his status as the sport’s dominant force. In summary, Luke Littler’s performance at the 2026 World Matchplay has redefined what is possible in professional darts. With a record‑setting average, a new high for maximums, and a historic back‑to‑back victory, he has placed the entire circuit under a microscope. As he pursues the remaining majors, the darts world watches closely, aware that a new era of excellence may be unfolding before their eyes.