Luke Littler's ambition to capture every major Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) crown in the 2026 season was abruptly shattered after he suffered a decisive 10-4 loss to Jonny Clayton in the last‑eight stage of the World Series of Darts Finals in Amsterdam. The defeat not only ended his immediate hopes of a clean sweep but also underscored the depth of competition at the very top of the sport.
Until that night, Littler, who entered the tournament as the world number one, had already amassed an unprecedented six premier titles since his breakthrough at the World Championship in January. After clinching the world title at Alexandra Palace, he added the World Masters, the UK Open, the Premier League, the World Cup of Darts, and the World Matchplay to his résumé. Those victories positioned him on the brink of a historic achievement: winning the remaining four majors – the World Series of Darts Finals, the World Grand Prix, the European Championship, the Grand Slam of Darts, and the Players Championship Finals – and thereby monopolising the year’s most coveted trophies. In the Amsterdam showdown, however, Clayton proved the better man.
After the match was level at 3-3, the Englishman surged ahead, taking seven of the next eight legs to seal a 10-4 victory. The win was part of a tournament that ultimately saw Ross Smith lift the trophy, but for Littler the result marked a pivotal turning point.
While the World Series of Darts Finals does not contribute points to the PDC Order of Merit, the loss meant that Littler could no longer claim a perfect run across all major events. Littler still retains a realistic pathway to dominate the ranking events that remain in the calendar. The next three majors – the World Grand Prix in Leicester, the European Championship in Dortmund, and the Grand Slam of Darts in Wolverhampton – are all still up for grabs, with the final major, the Players Championship Finals in Minehead, scheduled for late November.
If he can capture those four titles, he will still finish the season with a remarkable haul of major victories, even if the World Series Finals eludes him. The road to the Players Championship Finals, however, is far from certain. Littler currently sits 125th on the Order of Merit for the Players Championship series, a ranking that determines the 64 players who will qualify for the season‑ending event in Somerset.
With six regular‑season tournaments still to play, he must climb a steep ladder, winning enough matches to break into the top half of the list. At present, he trails the final qualification spot by £16,750, a gap that has led him to suggest he may not prioritize the Players Championship Finals if his broader sweep ambitions are thwarted. Upcoming Players Championship events will be held in Den Bosch on Tuesday and Wednesday, followed by two more sessions at the same venue on October 28 and 29, and a final pair of tournaments in Leicester on November 4 and 5.
These events will be crucial for Littler’s ranking hopes, as each offers a chance to earn vital prize money and improve his standing. After the match, Clayton spoke to ITV4 about his performance: "To be honest, I just thought, 'relax, go out and try your best.' Luke wasn't at full flow.
He missed a lot of darts at doubles, and that's the name of the game. You have to take your chances. I did that and it's brilliant. All respect to Luke, he's fantastic but he gave me chances upon chances.
That's not the Littler we all know. But Jonny Clayton can play darts as well!" His comments highlighted both the respect he holds for the young champion and the opportunistic mindset that carried him through the encounter.
Veteran multiple‑world champion Raymond van Barneveld also weighed in, noting the psychological pressure surrounding Littler's quest: "It's the pressure. Everyone talks about: 'can Littler do the whole year and win all the big majors.' It gives big pressure. He wants to perform. He's the best player at the moment, but everyone is fallible.
Everyone wants your scalp." Van Barneveld’s perspective underscores how the darts community views Littler’s meteoric rise – with admiration tempered by the knowledge that no player is invincible. Littler’s record at the World Series of Darts Finals is impressive in its own right.
He claimed his second title in three years by defeating Michael Smith in 2024, after a runner‑up finish to Michael van Gerwen a year earlier. Earlier in the 2026 tournament, Littler survived a precarious start, rallying from 3-1 down to beat Danny Noppert 6-4 in the opening round and then edging out Nathan Aspinall 10-9 in a dramatic last‑leg shoot‑out in the last‑16. Those close calls demonstrated his resilience, even if they ultimately could not stave off the defeat to Clayton.
The broader tournament also featured notable upsets. World number two Luke Humphries fell to Dirk van Duijvenbode in the second round, while defending champion Michael van Gerwen was eliminated in the opening round by Daryl Gurney.
Van Gerwen’s lone major win last season – the World Series Finals – remains his only major triumph since 2023, and he has yet to reach a quarter‑final in any of this year’s major events. Nevertheless, he did help the Dutch team reach the World Cup final alongside teammate Van Veen, where they were bested by the English pair of Littler and Humphries.
Littler’s partnership with Humphries proved decisive in the World Cup victory in Frankfurt in June, a win that left the European Championship as the sole major missing from his collection. He will undoubtedly target that title in Dortmund next month, hoping to fill the final gap in an otherwise stellar season.
The tournament’s later stages saw Ross Smith dominate the final, beating Gerwyn Price 11-5, after a semi‑final victory over Jonny Clayton (11-7) and a quarter‑final win over the same. Smith’s route to the title included a 10-4 quarter‑final triumph over Littler, underscoring the high calibre of competition throughout the event. Looking ahead, darts fans can anticipate a packed broadcast schedule on Sky Sports, which will continue to be the primary home for the sport’s marquee events.
The World Grand Prix will run from September 28 to October 4, followed by the Grand Slam of Darts from November 14 to 22, and culminating in the World Darts Championship from December 10 to January 3. All of these tournaments will be streamed live via NOW without a contractual commitment, ensuring that viewers can follow the drama of the season as it unfolds. In summary, while Luke Littler’s dream of a flawless, all‑major sweep has been halted by Jonny Clayton’s emphatic performance, his season remains far from over.
With several major titles still on the line and a challenging path to the Players Championship Finals, the young Englishman still has ample opportunity to cement his status as one of the sport’s most dominant figures of the era. The coming months will test his consistency, mental fortitude, and ability to convert opportunities into trophies, making the remainder of the 2026 darts calendar a compelling narrative for fans worldwide.