Luke Littler's attempt to secure a place in the Players Championship Finals and keep alive the possibility of achieving an unprecedented clean sweep of all PDC major titles in the 2026 season suffered a significant setback after a quarter‑final loss at PC27. The 19‑year‑old English prodigy was edged out 6‑5 by Dutch contender Jermaine Wattimena in a nail‑biting final‑leg decider, and Wattimena went on to capture the tournament crown in Leicester, defeating fellow Dutchman Kevin Doets 8‑6 in the final. Littler entered the event with an impressive run, dispatching Archie Self 6‑2, Arno Merk 6‑3 and William O'Connor 6‑3 to earn a last‑16 showdown with Chris Dobey. In that match Littler produced a dominant 6‑0 whitewash, only to be stopped by Wattimena in the next round.
The defeat not only ended his run in PC27 but also placed his qualification for the Players Championship Finals in serious doubt. To date, the world number one has already collected every major trophy on the PDC calendar for 2026 – the World Championship, the Masters, the UK Open, the Premier League, the World Cup of Darts and the World Matchplay.
The remaining titles required for a historic clean sweep are the World Series, the World Grand Prix, the European Championship, the Grand Slam of Darts and the Players Championship Finals. No player has ever managed to win all of these events in a single season, making Littler's ambition one of the most talked‑about storylines in modern darts. The biggest hurdle now is the qualification rule for the Players Championship Finals. Only the top 64 players on the Players Championship Order of Merit will travel to Minehead in November, and the projected cut‑off is expected to be around £30,000 in earnings.
Each Players Championship event awards £15,000 to the winner, but Littler earned just £4,000 by reaching the quarter‑finals on his debut appearance in the series. This modest haul leaves him far short of the threshold needed to secure a spot. Complicating matters further, Littler chose to sit out the first 26 events of the PC series, opting to make his debut at PC27 and PC28, both staged at the Mattioli Arena in Leicester. By skipping the early tournaments, he has limited his opportunity to accumulate the necessary prize money.
He now faces a daunting task: he must produce strong performances in the final seven floor events of the season to amass enough points and earnings to break into the top 64. PC28, scheduled for Wednesday at the same Leicester venue, offers Littler another chance to claim a title and boost his Order of Merit ranking. A deep run or a victory would provide a vital injection of prize money and could revive his hopes of qualifying for the finals.
Wattimena, meanwhile, demonstrated why he is a rising force on the circuit. After his dramatic win over Littler – sealed with a decisive 115 checkout on the bull in the final leg – he continued his surge in the semi‑final against Luke Woodhouse. Falling behind 1‑4, Wattimena rallied by winning six consecutive legs, highlighted by an astonishing sequence of five ton‑plus finishes (136, 135, 115, 127 and 128). His comeback forced Woodhouse into a desperate scramble, and Wattimena ultimately secured the match.
In the final, Wattimena faced Kevin Doets. The Dutchman built a 6‑2 lead, but Doets fought back, taking four of the next five legs and threatening a remarkable turnaround.
Wattimena responded with a brilliant 11‑dart finish, including a flawless 11‑dart leg that swung momentum back in his favour. He closed out the match 8‑6, claiming his third PDC ranking title of the year.
Reflecting on his performance, Wattimena said, "I played really well today but some games I made difficult for myself. I always play really well against Luke, to be honest. Even when I lose I play well, and that 115 finish against Luke gave me big confidence.
I didn't realise I hit five ton‑plus finishes in the semi‑final because you're busy with the game, but I'm very happy with this win." His victory also propelled him back into the world’s top 16, displacing Ross Smith. Other notable players featured in the event.
Nathan Aspinall, a former world champion, delivered a perfect nine‑dart finish in his opening round match against Thibault Tricole, showcasing his elite scoring power. However, Aspinall was later upset by Mickey Mansell in the third round, highlighting the depth of competition. The tournament schedule on Tuesday, August 25, at the Mattioli Arena included a packed slate of matches.
In the last‑16 stage, results included Wessel Nijman 6‑1 Bradley Brooks, Kim Huybrechts 6‑2 Martijn Dragt, Kevin Doets 6‑3 Rob Cross, Cameron Menzies 6‑1 Krzysztof Ratajski, Luke Woodhouse 6‑5 Dirk van Duijvenbode, Mickey Mansell 6‑5 Ryan Searle, and Luke Littler 6‑0 Chris Dobey. The quarter‑finals saw Nijman defeat Huybrechts 6‑3, Doets beat Kevin Doets 6‑2, Menzies overcome Woodhouse 6‑2, and Wattimena edge past Littler 6‑5.
In the semis, Doets overcame Nijman 7‑5 and Wattimena dispatched Woodhouse 7‑4, setting up the final showdown. Looking ahead, the remaining major events for 2026 remain on the calendar.
Sky Sports will continue to broadcast the World Grand Prix (September 28 – October 4), the Grand Slam of Darts (November 14 – November 22) and the World Darts Championship (December 10 – January 3). These tournaments will be crucial for Littler if he hopes to complete his clean‑sweep ambition. He must not only qualify for the Players Championship Finals but also capture the World Series, World Grand Prix, European Championship and Grand Slam titles – a feat that would cement his status as the most successful darts player in a single season.
In summary, Littler's quarter‑final exit at PC27 represents a serious obstacle on his road to history. With a limited number of remaining Players Championship events and a high earnings threshold, his path to Minehead is narrow.
Yet the young champion has already shown remarkable resilience and talent throughout the year. If he can convert his remaining opportunities into deep runs or victories, he may still keep his dream alive, adding another thrilling chapter to what has already been a landmark season for darts.