Luke Littler's ambition to secure a place in the Players Championship Finals and keep alive his dream of completing an unprecedented clean sweep of all PDC major titles in the 2026 season was dealt a serious blow when he fell in the quarter‑finals of Players Championship 27. The 19‑year‑old English prodigy was edged out 6‑5 by Dutch competitor Jermaine Wattimena in a nail‑biting final‑leg showdown, and Wattimena went on to capture the tournament crown in Leicester, defeating fellow Dutchman Kevin Doets 8‑6 in the final.
Littler’s route to the quarter‑finals had been impressive. He opened his campaign with a comfortable 6‑2 victory over Archie Self, followed by a 6‑3 win against Arno Merk and another 6‑3 triumph over William O'Connor, which set up a last‑16 clash with Chris Dobey. In that match Littler delivered a dominant performance, blanking Dobey 6‑0 before meeting Wattimena, who ultimately proved the tougher opponent. To date in 2026, the world number one has already added every major PDC title to his résumé: the World Championship, the Masters, the UK Open, the Premier League, the World Cup of Darts and the World Matchplay.
The only trophies that remain out of his reach are the World Series, the World Grand Prix, the European Championship, the Grand Slam of Darts and the Players Championship Finals. Securing all of them in a single season would be a feat never before achieved in the sport’s history. One of the biggest hurdles standing between Littler and a complete sweep is the qualification system for the Players Championship Finals. Only the top 64 players on the Players Championship Order of Merit earn a spot in the Minehead showdown in November, and the projected cut‑off line this year is expected to be in excess of £30,000 in earnings.
While the winner of each Players Championship event pockets £15,000, Littler’s best haul from his debut outing was a £4,000 prize for reaching the quarter‑finals. Littler’s strategic decision to skip the first 26 events of the series and only enter PC27 and PC28 in Leicester means he has a very limited window to accumulate the necessary prize money. He now faces the daunting task of delivering strong performances across the final seven floor events on the calendar if he hopes to break into the top‑64 and secure a place at the finals. The next opportunity arrives on Wednesday with PC28, also staged at Leicester’s Mattioli Arena.
A deep run, or ideally a tournament win, would dramatically improve his odds of qualifying. The pressure is immense, but Littler has shown the temperament to thrive under it, having already claimed multiple major titles this year.
Wattimena’s path to the PC27 title was equally dramatic. After edging Littler with a decisive 115 checkout on the bull in the deciding leg, Wattimena faced Luke Woodhouse in the semi‑final.
Falling behind 1‑4, he produced a remarkable comeback, stringing together six consecutive legs and delivering an extraordinary series of high‑scoring finishes: 136, 135, 115, 127 and 128. His momentum continued into the final, where he overcame Doets 8‑6, sealing the match with a brilliant 11‑dart finish that left the crowd in awe.
Speaking after his victory, Wattimena admitted, "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 win also propelled him back into the world’s top‑16, displacing Ross Smith.
Other notable performances at the event included Nathan Aspinall, who hit a perfect nine‑dart finish in 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 competition.
The tournament’s later stages saw a series of exciting results: - Last‑16: 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, Luke Littler 6‑0 Chris Dobey, Jermaine Wattimena 6‑4 Carl Sneyd. - Quarter‑finals: Wessel Nijman 6‑3 Kim Huybrechts, Kevin Doets 6‑2 Cameron Menzies, Luke Woodhouse 6‑2 Mickey Mansell, Jermaine Wattimena 6‑5 Luke Littler.
- Semi‑finals: Kevin Doets 7‑5 Wessel Nijman, Jermaine Wattimena 7‑4 Luke Woodhouse. - Final: Jermaine Wattimena 8‑6 Kevin Doets. Looking ahead, the darts calendar remains packed with high‑stakes events. Sky Sports will continue to be the primary broadcaster for the sport in 2026, offering 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 darts and other top‑tier sports through the NOW platform, ensuring that the excitement of the season remains accessible to a global audience. For Littler, the road to a historic clean sweep is still open, but the margin for error has narrowed dramatically. He must capitalize on every remaining Players Championship event, amass the required prize money, and maintain his extraordinary form against a field of hungry rivals.
Whether he can rise to the occasion will be one of the most compelling storylines of the 2026 darts season.