Luke Littler Retains World Darts Championship Title with Dominant Performance

The 2026 World Darts Championship has come to a close, with Luke Littler successfully defending his title in a commanding fashion at the Alexandra Palace. This year's tournament saw a change in format, with all 128 players entering at the first-round stage. The competition offered a record-breaking £5m prize pot, with Littler claiming the largest payout in darts history, £1m, after defeating world youth champion Gian van Veen 7-1 in the final. Littler becomes the fourth player to successfully defend the World Darts Championship title, a feat last achieved by Gary Anderson in 2016. The victory extends Littler's lead over Luke Humphries in the world rankings. The semi-finals saw Littler face Ryan Searle, winning 6-1, while Gian van Veen defeated Gary Anderson 6-3. The tournament's earlier rounds featured notable matches, including Luke Woodhouse's 2-4 loss to Krzysztof Ratajski and Jonny Clayton's 4-2 win over Andreas Harrysson. The competition's prize breakdown included £400,000 for the runner-up, £200,000 for semi-finalists, £100,000 for quarter-finalists, £60,000 for round four losers, £35,000 for round three losers, £25,000 for round two losers, and £15,000 for round one losers. The World Darts Championship is one of several high-profile darts events broadcast exclusively on Sky Sports, including the Premier League, World Matchplay, and Grand Slam of Darts.