Luke Littler’s campaign at the World Youth Championship came to an abrupt end when he was edged out by Cam Crabtree in a tightly contested semi‑final. The match, which unfolded at Minehead, saw Crabtree clinch a 6‑5 victory, securing his place in the final against Jan Schmidt. The encounter began with Crabtree asserting dominance, racing to a 2‑0 lead over the 2023 World Youth Champion.
Littler, however, demonstrated his resilience by clawing back to level the scores, only for Crabtree to re‑establish his advantage. The turning point arrived when the Warrington prodigy produced a spectacular 164 checkout followed by two successive 14‑dart legs, nudging the contest to 3‑2 in his favour. Yet Crabtree answered in kind, delivering finishes of 92 and 100 to surge ahead 5‑4. Facing a deciding leg, Littler responded with a brilliant 117, forcing the match into a final showdown.
In the last leg, Crabtree held his nerve, completing a 16‑dart finish on double six and posting a 97.91 average to seal the win. Littler’s journey to the semi‑final had been impressive. He breezed through the group stage with three straight victories, then overcame Lewis Cook after a dramatic comeback from 0‑3 down – Cook, a fellow 16‑year‑old, had seemed poised to win before Littler rallied. Subsequent wins over David Fidler (6‑1) and Archie Self (6‑4) propelled him into the quarter‑finals, where he dispatched Harrison Leigh 6‑2 to reach the last four.
The World Youth Championship, open to players aged 16‑24, offers a prize fund of £60,000. Earlier in the year, Littler appeared poised for a historic clean sweep of major PDC titles in 2026, but his momentum stalled after a contentious exit at the World Grand Prix in Amsterdam, where he complained about persistent whistling from Dutch fans. Those setbacks have been compounded by the recent defeats to Luke Woodhouse at the Grand Prix and now to Crabby at the Youth event. Sky Sports pundit Wayne Mardle expressed puzzlement over Littler’s decision to compete in the youth tournament, questioning the value of the effort given his stature in the senior ranks.
"I don’t see the benefit time‑wise," Mardle remarked. "When you’re playing a packed schedule, time‑management is everything." Mardle also reflected on Littler’s recent form dip, noting that while losses are part of the sport, the manner of his defeats raised concerns. He highlighted that Littler’s performance had been sub‑par, not just unlucky, and emphasized that even top players experience off‑days.
"We’re not robots; we have off days," Mardle said, adding that Littler’s recent outings suggested a temporary slump rather than a permanent decline. Looking ahead, the European Tour continues with the Swiss Darts Trophy (9‑11 October) and the Dutch Darts Championship (16‑18 October), followed by the European Championship in Dortmund (22‑25 October).
Sky Sports will continue to broadcast the sport’s marquee events, including the Grand Slam of Darts (14‑22 November) and the World Darts Championship (10 December‑3 January), available for streaming via NOW without a contract. Despite the disappointment, Littler’s youth and talent suggest he can rebound. The experience gained from high‑pressure matches, even in defeat, often fuels future success.
As the season progresses, observers will watch closely to see whether he can regain his earlier form and contend for titles once more.