Luke Littler has emphatically secured his status as a darts legend by winning his second consecutive PDC World Darts Championship title. The 18-year-old prodigy produced a masterclass to defeat Dutch rival Gian van Veen 7-1 in a stunning final at London's Alexandra Palace on Saturday 3 January 2026.
A Historic Performance Seals Dominance
The victory means Littler joins an exclusive group of only Phil Taylor, Adrian Lewis and Gary Anderson as men who have won back-to-back world crowns. His near-flawless display, which earned him a record £1 million prize cheque, featured a staggering average of almost 106, 15 maximum 180s, and a spectacular 'Big Fish' 170 checkout. This dominant performance underlined his total control over the sport's biggest stage, where he has remained unbeaten since his sensational debut run to the final two years ago.
Overcoming All Obstacles, Even a Wasp
The final was remarkably one-sided, but Littler did face one unexpected adversary. In a bizarre repeat of past incidents, the infamous 'Ally Pally wasp' made a beeline for the champion during the fourth set, causing a brief delay as players and referee George Noble swatted it away. Littler later joked he would enlist his friend, 'I'm a Celebrity' winner Angry Ginge, to deal with the pest in future.
On the oche, however, Van Veen was simply unable to mount a serious challenge. The 23-year-old, who had beaten former champions Luke Humphries and Gary Anderson to reach his first final, found himself suffocated by Littler's relentless scoring power. Van Veen even cut his hand, leaving a blood mark on the board, in a symbolic moment of his struggle against an unforgiving opponent.
A New Era of Darts Supremacy
This triumph caps an extraordinary year for Littler, during which he has won five of the last six major tournaments. His ability to dominate the longer format and unleash devastating spells of scoring suggests an era of supremacy reminiscent of Phil Taylor's reign. While Van Veen ascends to world number three and Humphries remains a key rival, Littler currently stands alone at the pinnacle of the sport.
In a poignant moment during his victory speech, Littler paid tribute to friends of boxer Anthony Joshua who died in a car crash earlier in the week. He then echoed Joshua's famous catchphrase, declaring: "The first time was so nice, I had to do it twice."
Despite the heavy defeat, Gian van Veen expressed pride in his tournament run but disappointment at not testing the champion. "I would have liked more to give Luke a game, and that's what I didn't do," he admitted. Nevertheless, his journey to the final confirms he will be a fixture at the top of darts for years to come, even as Luke Littler's reign looks set to continue.
