The discuss has all been about him. The questions have revolved round him. The percentages are in his favour. Now, it’s time for Luke Littler to ship at Alexandra Palace as soon as once more.
The hype across the teenager from Warrington as he seems to be to defend his world championship title is unmatched. Many see him profitable it as a foregone conclusion. Others see it as an opportunity to show the punters, pundits and bookmakers incorrect by backing one of many different horses.
To name anybody ‘unbeatable’ is only a fictitious assertion – even the nice Phil Taylor misplaced, sometimes! You might be on an unbeaten run, you possibly can look like you’re unstoppable. However everybody has an off day, everybody has their weaknesses, everybody can have an off night time.
Watch Littler’s instantaneous response to the World Darts Championship draw as he’s set to face Darius Labanauskas
However, with Littler, it takes a very long time of mulling over to determine what may cease him in his tracks on the Worlds.
A format that fits him? Tick! A stage he thrives on? Tick! A draw that leaves the larger boys competing over the longer format? Tick!
Littler himself will know that the strain is on to ship, to grow to be the primary back-to-back world champion since Gary Anderson in 2016, to grow to be solely the fourth alongside Taylor, Anderson, and ‘Jackpot’ Adrian Lewis.
“My type says that I may beat anybody proper now,” mentioned Littler. “Ten years in the past, Gary Anderson received back-to-back titles, and ten years later, I am standing right here as the present champion and I am trying to go back-to-back myself.
“I’ve received that primary spot now and hopefully I can have one other event to recollect this time round.
“I’ve received the final three massive majors and there is just one extra to go within the 12 months. It was my first massive event on the Worlds, and with the group behind me, it appears like dwelling at Ally Pally.”
Watch as Littler’s first-round opponent Labanauskas hit a nine-darter on the Worlds in 2021
On Thursday night time, his defence begins towards Lithuanian arrowsmith Darius Labanauskas, dwell on Sky Sports activities, and in simply three weeks’ time, the query will likely be answered as as to whether the world No 1 goes to take himself to even additional dizzying heights.
“It may have been simpler, but it surely may have been more durable. Now it is laser-focus on that first recreation,” Littler revealed. “It doesn’t matter what I common, I simply need to get that first win underneath my belt after which hopefully I can come again and win it once more.”
The Love The Darts staff make their predictions for the World Darts Championship
Runner-up, champion, now higher than ever?
Not many boast a world championship report fairly like Littler. A runner-up on his debut to Luke Humphries in a event that began what’s now referred to as the ‘Luke Littler’ impact.
Then, he betters that on try quantity two as he beat Michael van Gerwen within the closing to finish the journey from future star to the beginning of the second.
Highlights of Littler towards Michael van Gerwen within the closing of the 2025 World Darts Championship
Dare I say, he enters the 2026 competitors in even scarier type after one other 12 months to recollect.
Littler can also be now formally the youngest ever PDC world No 1 at 18 years and 299 days, with the earlier report being held by Michael van Gerwen at 24 years and 251 days in 2014.
Not solely that, in 2025 5 extra main titles – the World Matchplay, World Grand Prix, UK Open, Grand Slam, and Gamers Championship Finals – had been secured, with Littler additionally savouring success on the Australian Darts Masters, New Zealand Darts Masters, Belgian Darts Open, Flanders Darts Trophy, and Gamers Championship 32.
Littler beats van Gerwen to assert the Sid Waddell trophy and win the World Darts Championship
When he will get into the longer format, when he will get into the massive finals, each top-level participant has left scratching their head at tips on how to beat him.
That units some precedent heading into the most important dance of all of them…
The problem forward…
Two years on from Littler’s World Darts Championship debut, Sky Sports activities Information explores the impression the brand new No 1 has had on the sport on this new documentary
Nevertheless, Littler is greater than conscious he has a problem forward of him. His greatest rival, Humphries, declared struggle on him.
“After I get to the Worlds I will be preventing laborious to take it again off him. It is struggle now! I’ll attempt to take it again,” Humphries mentioned on the Grand Slam.
“I am prepared for the Worlds now. I’ll win the Worlds.
“I’m [declaring war] as a result of I am clearly disillusioned to lose the final three finals, however I am enjoying good and the tiredness crept in on the finish there.
“One recreation a day fits me. We’ll go to struggle. World Championships, me and him in a closing. We’ll see who’s the primary there.”
World No 1 Luke Littler claimed it was as much as different gamers to cease him and Luke Humphries from assembly in main finals and mentioned his goal is back-to-back World Championships at Alexandra Palace
Not solely that, all people already has their eyes on a possible quarter-final conflict between Littler and Gerwyn Value.
Value boasts a robust report towards the world No 1. They’ve performed one another on 19 events and Value has received seven of them, Littler choosing up 12.
The ‘Iceman’ has put in sturdy stints towards Littler, at one level claiming a six-match unbeaten streak towards the ‘Nuke’ and so he can have the boldness that in the event that they meet, he can problem him.
Highlights of the Grand Slam of Darts closing between Littler and Humphries
Nevertheless, he isn’t assembly the Littler of 18 months in the past, he’s assembly the Littler of now who has a robust head on his shoulders, has matured personally and in his recreation, and is “motivated” to maintain making extra historical past.
“I used to be nervous after I wasn’t champion, and now I am coming in as a reigning champion, there’s simply going to be a little bit of nerves, however as soon as I get a couple of legs on the board, I feel I will be good to go,” Littler mentioned.
“I would not say worse, as a result of I do know what to anticipate. If I’m nervous and begin getting the shakes or one thing, I do know what to do, simply received to compose your self, drink your water backstage. Like I mentioned, there’s going to be nerves, 100 per cent.
“It has been 10 years since somebody received this back-to-back, so that is what’s on my thoughts, after which I take into consideration the cash.”
The large query: How you can beat him?
Talking on Love The Darts, Abigail Davies and Chris Murphy talk about Litter’s rise to world No 1 and who can problem him on the World Championship
So, how precisely do you beat him? That’s the query everybody would love answered.
Littler himself has some ideas…
“Clearly, some individuals say there is not (any weaknesses).
“Clearly for myself, it is a double in proportion, it is if my arms there, and my fingers aren’t balanced sufficient.
“So you have to get higher at them doubles and you have to have the ability to try this within the first spherical.”
Statistically, the sooner in a contest you meet Littler, the extra doubtless you’re to beat him. Over to you, Labanauskas!
There have additionally been events on which he has had sluggish begins or the group being towards him has gone towards him.
The factor about him is, although, he’ll all the time get well. You not solely should pounce however maintain your management and if somebody can try this, they may pull off the most important win of the Worlds.
Humphries declared that he’ll struggle with Littler on the World Darts Championship as the 2 shared some pleasant phrases after Littler’s Grand Slam of Darts win
Can anybody cease him?
Can Gerwyn Value be the participant who can cease Littler from profitable back-to-back World titles?
For Colin ‘Jaws’ Lloyd, his trajectory has been one thing particular to observe unfold and now the discuss will flip, already, to how he backs it up in 2026.
“In a single phrase, scary. Yeah, completely scary. He is 18 years outdated,” former world No 1 Lloyd mentioned on the Love the Darts podcast. “He is simply turned to maturity. And what he is achieved within the recreation.
“You actually would not have thought it was doable due to all the category gamers which can be on the market like James Wade, Gerwyn Value, Luke Humphries and Johnny Clayton.
“There’s so many gamers you possibly can choose from which have had the alternatives to cease him. However sadly on the day, they have not been ok.”
There isn’t any denying that there’s a raft of expertise projected to fulfill Littler alongside the best way.
The query is whether or not they can step as much as the calibre that’s required to neutralise ‘The Nuke’.
Who will win the Paddy Energy World Darts Championship? Watch each match solely dwell from December 11 to January 3 on Sky Sports activities’ devoted darts channel (Sky channel 407 from December 10). Stream darts and extra high sport with NOW.
