Luke Littler’s campaign to secure a spot in the Players Championship Finals and keep alive the dream of completing an unprecedented clean sweep of all Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) major titles in 2026 was dealt a serious setback when he fell in the quarter‑finals of PC27. The 19‑year‑old English prodigy was edged out 6‑5 by Dutch competitor Jermaine Wattimena after 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’s route to the quarter‑finals had been impressive. He opened with a 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 6‑0 whitewash before meeting Wattimena, the eventual champion, in the last eight. To date, the world number one has already added every major title on the PDC calendar to his résumé this season – the World Championship, the Masters, the UK Open, the Premier League, the World Cup of Darts and the World Matchplay. What remains are the World Series, the World Grand Prix, the European Championship, the Grand Slam of Darts and the Players Championship Finals. Securing all of these would give Littler a historic achievement that no player in the sport’s history has ever managed.
One of the biggest hurdles standing between him and a clean sweep is the qualification system for the Players Championship Finals. Only the top 64 players on the Players Championship Order of Merit earn a place in the Minehead showdown in November, and the projected cut‑off point is expected to be well over £30,000 in earnings.
While the winner of each Players Championship event walks away with £15,000, Littler’s quarter‑final finish at PC27 earned him just £4,000, far short of the amount needed to secure his ranking. Littler’s strategy this season has been unusual.
He deliberately skipped the first 26 Players Championship events, opting instead to make his debut at PC27 and PC28, both staged at the Mattioli Arena in Leicester. This decision means he now has only seven remaining floor events to amass enough prize money to break into the top 64. PC28, scheduled for Wednesday at the same venue, offers him a fresh chance to claim a title and boost his earnings tally.
Wattimena’s path to the PC27 trophy was dramatic. After his tight win over Littler – sealed with a clutch 115 checkout on the bull in the deciding leg – he faced Luke Woodhouse in the semi‑final. Falling behind 1‑4, Wattimena produced a remarkable comeback, stringing together six consecutive legs and delivering five ton‑plus finishes (136, 135, 115, 127 and 128) to turn the match around.
He then maintained his momentum in the final, overcoming Doets 8‑6, highlighted by a brilliant 11‑dart finish that clinched the victory. Speaking after his triumph, Wattimena admitted he had not even realised he had hit five finishes over 100 in the semi‑final because he was so focused on the game. "I played really well today but some games I made difficult for myself," he said, adding that his 115 checkout against Luke gave him a huge confidence boost.
The win also propelled him back into the world’s top 16, displacing Ross Smith. Other notable performances at the event included Nathan Aspinall, who threw a perfect nine‑dart leg in his opening‑round match against Thibault Tricole before eventually losing to Mickey Mansell in the third round.
The tournament’s results were as follows: - 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.
Sky Sports continues to be the primary broadcaster for the sport in 2026, with live coverage slated for 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‑level sport through NOW, which offers a range of live and on‑demand content. For Littler, the next few weeks are crucial.
He must deliver strong performances in the remaining Players Championship events to accumulate the prize money required for qualification. A deep run or a title at PC28 could keep his historic clean‑sweep ambition alive, but the margin for error is razor‑thin.
The pressure is mounting, and the darts world will be watching closely to see whether the young champion can overcome the odds and write his name into the sport’s record books.