Luke Littler’s quest to secure a place in the Players Championship Finals—and keep alive the possibility of completing an unprecedented clean sweep of all Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) major titles in the 2026 season—suffered a significant blow when he was eliminated in the quarter‑finals of Players Championship 27 (PC27). The 19‑year‑old English prodigy fell 6‑5 to Dutch competitor Jermaine Wattimena after a nail‑biting final‑leg decider, ending his run and narrowing the window for a historic achievement. Littler entered the tournament in impressive form, dispatching Archie Self 6‑2, Arno Merk 6‑3 and William O'Connor 6‑3 to reach the last‑16 stage.
There he faced Chris Dobey, whom he dominated with a white‑wash 6‑0 victory, showcasing the clinical precision that has become his trademark this year. However, his momentum was halted by Wattimena, who would go on to capture the title in Leicester by defeating compatriot Kevin Doets 8‑6 in the final. To date, the world number one has already added every major PDC trophy on the 2026 calendar to his résumé: the World Championship, the Masters, the UK Open, the Premier League, the World Cup of Darts and the World Matchplay.
The remaining challenges are the World Series, the World Grand Prix, the European Championship, the Grand Slam of Darts and the Players Championship Finals. No player in the sport’s history has ever managed to claim all of these titles within a single season, making Littler’s ambition both bold and unprecedented.
One of the biggest hurdles to completing the sweep lies in the qualification criteria for the Players Championship Finals. Only the top 64 players on the Players Championship Order of Merit earn a spot in the Minehead showdown scheduled for November. Analysts project that the cut‑off line will sit somewhere above £30,000 in earnings.
While the winner of each Players Championship event pockets £15,000, Littler’s quarter‑final appearance in his debut PC27 outing netted him a modest £4,000, far short of the threshold needed to guarantee a place. Adding to the complexity, Littler chose to sit out the first 26 events of the PC series, opting instead to join the competition at PC27 and PC28, both held at Leicester’s Mattioli Arena. This strategic decision means he must deliver strong performances across the final seven floor events of the season if he hopes to amass enough prize money to break into the top 64. PC28, taking place on Wednesday at the same venue, offers him another chance to capture a title and boost his earnings tally.
Wattimena’s triumph in PC27 was a dramatic affair. After edging out Littler with a decisive 115 checkout on the bull in the final leg, he faced Luke Woodhouse in the semi‑finals.
From a 4‑1 deficit, Wattimena produced a spectacular comeback, stringing together six consecutive legs and delivering five finishes of 100 points or more—including 136, 135, 115, 127 and 128. His surge forced a 6‑2 lead and ultimately secured his spot in the final, where he maintained composure to defeat Doets 8‑6. The Dutchman’s performance earned him a return to the world’s top‑16 rankings, overtaking Ross Smith. Reflecting on his victory, Wattimena admitted, "I played really well today but some games I made difficult for myself.
I always play really well against Luke, 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." Other notable storylines from the Leicester event included a perfect nine‑dart leg from Nathan Aspinall during his opening‑round match against Thibault Tricole.
Aspinall, a former world champion, later fell to Mickey Mansell in the third round, underscoring the depth of talent on display. The tournament’s later stages saw a mix of established stars and rising talents. In the last‑16, Wessel Nijman dispatched Bradley Brooks 6‑1, while Kevin Doets overcame Martijn Dragt 6‑3 and later beat Cameron Menzies 6‑1. The quarter‑finals featured a tight contest between Wattimena and Littler, ending 6‑5 in favour of the Dutchman, and a 6‑2 victory for Doets over Nijman.
The semi‑finals produced a 7‑5 win for Doets against Nijman and a 7‑4 triumph for Wattimena over Woodhouse, setting up the final showdown that culminated in Wattimena’s 8‑6 victory. Looking ahead, the 2026 darts calendar remains packed with high‑stakes events.
Sky Sports will continue to be the primary broadcaster, delivering live coverage of the World Grand Prix (28 September‑4 October), the Grand Slam of Darts (14‑22 November) and the World Darts Championship (10 December‑3 January). Fans can also stream matches and related content via NOW, ensuring that the sport’s growing global audience stays connected. For Littler, the road ahead is both challenging and exhilarating.
He must capitalize on the remaining Players Championship events, amass sufficient prize money to secure a top‑64 ranking, and then turn his focus to the remaining major titles. If he can navigate these obstacles, he stands on the brink of achieving a feat that could redefine the history of professional darts.