Luke Littler Clinches Back-to-Back World Darts Titles After Sensational Ally Pally Final

Luke Littler delivered a dominant performance at Alexandra Palace on Saturday evening to retain the Paddy Power World Darts Championship title, defeating Gian van Veen 7–1 and securing consecutive world crowns, according to the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC).

The 18-year-old became just the fourth player in history to successfully defend the Sid Waddell Trophy, following in the footsteps of Phil Taylor, Adrian Lewis, and Gary Anderson. Littler also became the first £1 million World Champion, marking a milestone moment in darts as the sport's biggest prize reached an unprecedented level, according to the PDC.

A Ruthless Final on Darts' Biggest Stage

Competing in his third consecutive World Championship final, Littler produced a scintillating display in north London, averaging 106 across the match. He struck 16 maximum 180s and converted 46% of his doubles during a final that lasted just over 43 minutes.

Van Veen showed early composure, surviving four set darts to claim the opening set after Littler missed key chances. The Dutchman then threatened to pull further clear, landing impressive 145 and 127 finishes to move to the verge of a two-set lead.

However, Littler quickly reasserted himself. A clinical 116 checkout sparked a momentum swing, before the world number one followed up with another 116 finish, an 11-dart leg and a spectacular 170 checkout to edge ahead at 2–1.

Momentum Shifts as Littler Takes Control

From that stage onwards, Littler began to dominate proceedings. He reeled off a hat-trick of 15-dart legs to secure the fourth set and extend his lead, showcasing the scoring power and composure that have defined his rapid rise to the top of the game.

Van Veen briefly halted the momentum in the fifth set with a polished tops-tops 137 finish, but the relief proved temporary. Littler responded by winning three straight legs to stretch his advantage to 4–1, punishing missed doubles with relentless efficiency.

The reigning champion continued to apply pressure in sets six and seven, opening with back-to-back maximums and capitalising on further missed opportunities from his opponent. Van Veen fired in six perfect darts during the seventh set and narrowly missed a 146 checkout, but Littler produced an 11-dart break to move within one set of victory.

A Statement Finish at Alexandra Palace

Littler moved to the brink of victory with a composed 14-dart hold in the eighth set before spectacularly sealing the title. He followed his 16th 180 of the match with a superb 147 checkout, finishing on double 15 to bring the final to a close.

'This feels amazing,' Littler said after the match, according to the PDC. 'I wasn't happy going into the first break at 1–0 down, but I had to kick on from there, and it came all together.'

He also paid tribute to his opponent's tournament run, adding, 'Gian – what a tournament he had. He can be very proud of himself. In every set he was there, right behind me, so I had to take my chances.'

Life-Changing Prize and Rankings Impact

Littler described the £1 million prize as 'absolutely life-changing' and said the victory further strengthened his position as world number one, increasing the gap to his closest rivals in the rankings, per the PDC. He also stressed that he remains motivated to continue building his trophy collection.

The Warrington teenager's title run included victories over Darius Labanauskas, David Davies, Mensur Suljovic, Rob Cross, Krzysztof Ratajski and Ryan Searle, conceding just four sets across the entire tournament.

Van Veen's Breakthrough Campaign

Despite defeat, Van Veen enjoyed a landmark championship. The 23-year-old succeeded Michael van Gerwen as the new Dutch number one following his run to the final, having eliminated former world champions Luke Humphries and Gary Anderson earlier in the tournament, according to the PDC.

'I'm obviously disappointed because I would have loved to lift this title, but I'm very proud to make the final,' Van Veen said, per the PDC. He acknowledged Littler's quality, adding that the defending champion applied pressure 'in every single leg'.

Van Veen collected the £400,000 runner-up prize and climbed to third place on the PDC Order of Merit after reaching his second televised ranking final.

Elite Company for a Teenage Champion

With this victory, Littler became just the seventh player to win multiple World Championship titles, joining an elite group that includes Taylor, Lewis, Anderson, Michael van Gerwen, Peter Wright and John Part.

The 2025/26 Paddy Power World Darts Championship final concluded with Littler defeating Van Veen 7–1, cementing his status as the sport's dominant force and signalling a new era at the top of professional darts, according to the PDC.