Mark Webster of Sky Sports Darts is confident that Luke Littler will not abandon the sport because of the way he has been treated by spectators, even though the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) is working hard to eliminate whistling from venues while accepting that booing is likely to remain part of the atmosphere. Littler entered the 2026 World Series of Darts Finals in Amsterdam with the ambition of completing a clean sweep of every major PDC title on the calendar. His dream was shattered on Sunday when he suffered a decisive 10-4 loss to Jonny Clayton in the quarter‑finals.
While the defeat itself dominated the headlines, the conversation quickly shifted to Littler’s ongoing friction with darts fans. Earlier in the tournament, the 19‑year‑old had threatened to boycott future events in the Netherlands after he was subjected to a chorus of boos and whistles following his victory over Nathan Aspinall.
The hostility did not end there; during his Friday win against Dutch favourite Danny Noppert, the crowd’s reaction grew increasingly hostile, and on Saturday referee Charlie Corstorphine had to step in to calm the situation during Littler’s last‑16 triumph over Aspinall. Littler is not new to confronting volatile audiences.
He previously refused to travel to German European Tour stops because of the way local fans treated him. Nevertheless, Webster believes that Littler’s displeasure will not push him out of darts entirely. "No, I don’t think he’s going to walk away from the sport over this," Webster said. "He was obviously very upset about how he was treated in the Netherlands, but when you play a home favourite like Danny Noppert you can expect some rough treatment as well." Webster acknowledged that the PDC is actively trying to curb whistling, which many players find distracting, especially when it occurs at the moment a dart is released.
"I’m not saying it’s right, and the whistling, I know they’re trying to take it out of the game," he explained. "The booing they won’t be able to stop, but the whistling is something that’s a bugbear to a lot of players at the minute. The PDC are trying to get rid of it." He added that security personnel are experimenting with new crowd‑control measures, but the situation escalated for Littler during the Dutch weekend. "He was saying after games he wasn’t happy with the treatment he got.
I don’t like saying it, but a lot of the booing is part of the game now. He kind of has drawn attention to it by speaking about it," Webster noted. According to Webster, while constant booing can be irritating, players have learned to tune it out.
"The whistling is annoying, and I think it’s a bit sharper when the players are throwing and it puts them off. A constant boo, I think players can deal with. Luke has dealt with it in the past, and I’m sure he’ll be okay," he said. If Littler decides to skip events in the Netherlands, Webster believes he can still shape a full season.
The Dutch leg of the European Tour comprises about fifteen events, but Littler could simply cherry‑pick the ones he feels comfortable attending, such as the Premier League night, while missing the others. "He doesn’t really need to go to the Netherlands, so he can cherry‑pick there.
If he does decide to boycott, he can still plan out his year, really," Webster affirmed. Webster also emphasized that Littler still has many years ahead of him and is unlikely to retire early because of fan hostility. "He loves playing darts and he’s brilliant at it, so I think he’ll just bounce back.
He’ll get some more rough treatment and he’ll try and deal with it the way he has done the majority of the time, and just win games and win tournaments," Webster said. Beyond the immediate controversy, Webster highlighted Littler’s status as the sport’s marquee attraction. The teenager’s meteoric rise—reaching the World Championship final on debut, securing back‑to‑back World Championship titles, and consistently challenging for major trophies—has turned him into a ticket‑selling draw. "We’re still in this boom on the back of what he did," Webster remarked.
"There are other players, but he is the main draw. After that run to the World Championships final on debut, and he’s backed up by winning back‑to‑back World Championships. People buy a ticket to watch him. They may boo him, they may whistle when he throws." Webster noted that the culture of darts often includes a degree of rough treatment for the sport’s best players, a tradition that can both motivate and frustrate.
"He gets fired up himself, and I’m sure he’ll bounce back in the right way at the Grand Prix in Leicester," Webster added. "It’s easy to forget he’s 19 because he’s been around since he was 16, and he’s done a lot in those three years. We’re already talking about sort of holding every major.
As good as he is, that’s always going to be difficult." Regarding the weekend’s loss, Webster urged Littler not to be too hard on himself. "He was beaten by the better man in Jonny. He acknowledged that. He was just a bit disappointed with the crowd," he said.
"I fully expect him to win a few of the majors remaining. I think the European Championships will be a massive priority for him, because then he’s ticked every box. And then obviously go on to Ally Pally and try and retain that, keep the streak going, and just keep cementing his place at world No 1." Looking ahead, Webster believes Littler still has a realistic chance of sweeping the ranking events in 2026.
While the World Series Finals, the World Cup and the Premier League are non‑ranking, winning the remaining four majors in Leicester, Dortmund, Wolverhampton and Minehead this autumn would give him a near‑complete haul for the season. The teenager has already withdrawn from two Players Championship events in the Netherlands less than 24 hours after his clean‑sweep bid was shattered, and he hinted he might skip the Players Championship Finals if his major‑title hopes are dashed. At present he sits £16,750 outside the final qualification spot, a gap that could be closed with strong performances in the remaining events.
Sky Sports will continue to be the primary broadcaster for darts, with 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 stream the action via NOW without a contract, ensuring that despite any crowd controversy, the sport remains widely accessible to viewers worldwide.