Luke Humphries clinched his third Players Championship crown of the season on the second day of the Leicester event, edging out Brendan Dolan 8-6 in a tightly contested final. The win not only added another trophy to Humphries' growing collection but also saw him reclaim the world No. 2 spot in the PDC Order of Merit, overtaking Gian van Veen during the day’s action. The final was a showcase of high‑quality darts, with both men trading legs before Humphries pulled ahead at the crucial juncture.
Dolan, who had earlier dispatched Luke Littler 7-4 in the semi‑finals, was hoping to keep the world No. 1’s clean‑sweep hopes alive, but Humphries’ steady scoring and clinical finishing proved decisive. Humphries’ path to the title was anything but easy. In the semi‑final he faced Mike De Decker, winning 7-4 after a grueling quarter‑final where he survived six match darts from Danny Noppert, eventually prevailing 6-5.
That narrow escape demonstrated Humphries’ resilience under pressure and set the tone for his performance in the later rounds. For Littler, the tournament represented a crucial opportunity to maintain momentum in his quest for a historic clean sweep of all major PDC titles this season. Having missed the first 26 Players Championship events, Littler entered the Leicester event with a clear objective: climb into the top 64 of the Order of Merit to secure a place at the Minehead finals in November. After a quarter‑final loss to Jermaine Wattimena in the previous day’s PC27, Littler’s hopes were further dented when he fell to Dolan in the semi‑finals, leaving him 125th on the Order of Merit, £16,750 shy of the qualifying cut‑off.
Littler’s season to date has been remarkable. He has already captured every major PDC title on offer in 2026 – the World Championship, Masters, UK Open, Premier League, World Cup of Darts and World Matchplay – and only needs to add the World Series, World Grand Prix, European Championship, Grand Slam of Darts and the Players Championship Finals to achieve an unprecedented clean sweep. The next World Series event in Amsterdam (17‑20 September) will be a key indicator of whether his dream remains within reach.
In Leicester, Littler started strongly, dispatching Stephen Rosney 6-4 in the opening round. He then survived a nail‑biting encounter with world No.
107 Benjamin Pratnemer, fending off six match darts before clinching a deciding leg. Subsequent victories over Martin Schindler, Andy Boulton and Krzysztof Ratajski propelled him into the last four, where he ultimately succumbed to Dolan’s steady play. Humphries, meanwhile, returned to competitive darts after a surprising first‑round exit to Cameron Menzies at the World Matchplay on 20 July. He suffered a 6-3 defeat to Cam Crabtree in his first match of the Leicester series but rebounded spectacularly, winning seven consecutive matches to claim the title.
This marks his third Players Championship triumph of the year, having previously won PC4 and PC17, and places him 13th on the Order of Merit with £52,000 in earnings, effectively guaranteeing his participation in the Minehead finals. Speaking after his victory, Humphries admitted that his preparation had been limited but emphasized the importance of gaining match practice. "I came here just to get some darts in and feel normal again," he said.
"I didn’t expect to win, but after two good days of practice I’m confident I can build on this and keep improving." He also highlighted his ambition to stay at No. 2 behind world champion Luke Littler, noting that the gap between them is roughly two million in prize money. "The only way to close that is to win back‑to‑back World Championships, which is a massive challenge," Humphries added. "Littler has been the best player over the last 18 months, and he deserves his top ranking." Looking ahead, Humphries will travel to Budapest for the Hungarian Darts Trophy later this weekend.
He described his Leicester win as a confidence boost, even though he felt he hadn’t played his best. "It’s good to know I can win even when I’m not at 100 %," he said.
"I’ll keep practising at home and aim to win a major before the year ends." For Littler, the road to a clean sweep remains steep. With six Players Championship events still to play, he must not only climb the Order of Merit but also maintain his winning form across a packed schedule that includes the World Series, World Grand Prix, European Championship and Grand Slam.
The pressure will intensify as the calendar progresses, and any slip could end his historic bid. The event also featured a host of other notable results. In the last‑16 round, Owen Bates defeated Justin Hood 6-1, while Humphries edged Danny Noppert 6-5.
Mike De Decker overcame Martijn Dragt 6-3, and Kim Huybrechts beat Jeffrey de Graaf 6-2. The quarter‑finals saw Humphries beat Owen Bates 6-4, De Decker dispatch Kim Huybrechts 6-5, Dolan overcome Luke Woodhouse 6-4, and Littler defeat Krzysztof Ratajski 6-4. The semi‑finals produced the final pairings of Humphries versus De Decker and Dolan versus Littler, leading to the ultimate showdown. Sky Sports continues to be the primary broadcaster for darts in 2026, covering 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 sports via NOW, while the Love the Darts podcast provides additional analysis and commentary. In summary, Humphries’ triumph at PC28 not only adds a third title to his season tally but also disrupts Luke Littler’s pursuit of a clean sweep of major titles. The upcoming weeks will be crucial for both players as they chase further glory and aim to secure their places at the season‑ending Minehead finals.