Luke Littler's ambition to secure a place in the Players Championship Finals and keep alive the dream of completing an unprecedented clean sweep of all PDC major titles in the 2026 season suffered a significant setback when he was eliminated in the quarter‑finals of Players Championship 27 (PC27). In a tightly contested match that went to a deciding leg, the 19‑year‑old English prodigy was edged out 6‑5 by Dutch competitor Jermaine Wattimena, who later went on to capture the tournament crown in Leicester, defeating fellow Dutchman Kevin Doets 8‑6 in the final. Littler entered the event with a strong run of 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 and produced a stunning whitewash, winning 6‑0, before meeting Wattimena in the quarter‑finals. Despite a valiant effort that saw the match go to the final leg, Littler fell just short, ending his bid for a historic clean sweep.
To date in 2026, the world number one has already collected every major title on the PDC circuit except for five: the World Series, the World Grand Prix, the European Championship, the Grand Slam of Darts, and the Players Championship Finals. His trophy cabinet already includes the World Championship, the Masters, the UK Open, the Premier League, the World Cup of Darts and the World Matchplay – an achievement that underlines his dominance this season.
Achieving a clean sweep, however, remains an extraordinarily difficult task because qualification for the Players Championship Finals in Minehead is limited to the top 64 players on the Players Championship Order of Merit. Analysts predict that the cut‑off for entry will be around £30,000 in earnings. While the winner of each Players Championship event receives a £15,000 prize, Littler's quarter‑final finish at PC27 earned him only £4,000, leaving a sizable gap to the projected qualifying threshold.
Littler's strategy for the season has been unusual. He deliberately skipped the first 26 Players Championship events, opting to make his debut at PC27 and then compete again at PC28, both held at the Mattioli Arena in Leicester. This means that, with only seven floor events remaining, he must produce a series of deep runs – ideally tournament victories – to amass enough prize money to break into the top 64. PC28, scheduled for the following Wednesday at the same venue, offers him another chance to claim a title and boost his earnings.
Wattimena's path to the PC27 trophy was dramatic. After defeating Littler with a clutch 115 checkout on the bull in the final leg, he faced Luke Woodhouse in the semi‑final. Falling behind 1‑4, Wattimena produced a remarkable comeback, winning six consecutive legs. His comeback was highlighted by an extraordinary streak of five finishes of 100 points or more, including 136, 135, 115, 127 and 128.
He then continued his dominance in the final, overcoming a brief surge from Doets to seal the match with an impressive 11‑dart finish. After the victory, Wattimena reflected on his performance, saying, "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 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 triumph also propelled him back into the world’s top 16, displacing Ross Smith. Other notable performances at the event included Nathan Aspinall, who delivered a perfect nine‑dart finish in his opening round match against Thibault Tricole before being knocked out by Mickey Mansell in the third round. The tournament featured a full slate of results, with the last‑16, quarter‑final, semi‑final and final scores listed 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 will continue to broadcast the sport throughout 2026, with major events such as 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) all slated for live coverage.
Fans can also stream darts and other top‑level sport via the NOW platform, which offers a contract‑free viewing experience. In summary, while Luke Littler's run at PC27 ended earlier than hoped, his season to date remains historic. The remaining major titles – the World Series, World Grand Prix, European Championship, Grand Slam of Darts and the Players Championship Finals – still lie within reach, but the qualification hurdle for the final event adds a layer of pressure.
With only a handful of tournaments left, Littler will need to deliver exceptional performances, possibly securing multiple titles, to accumulate the necessary earnings and keep the dream of a clean sweep alive. The darts world will be watching closely as the young champion battles to rewrite the record books and achieve a feat no player has ever accomplished before.