Luke Littler produced a masterclass to sweep into the semi-finals of the PDC World Darts Championship, reconnecting with the Alexandra Palace crowd before watching his biggest rival for the title suffer a stunning defeat.
A Commanding Quarter-Final Performance
The 18-year-old defending champion, who had faced a hostile reception in his previous match, enjoyed a perfect evening on Thursday 1 January 2026. He delivered a virtuoso display to claim a straightforward 5-0 victory over Poland's Krzysztof Ratajski. Littler had braced himself for more negativity after being booed heavily during his fourth-round win over Rob Cross, but the atmosphere was transformed.
"It's a new year, so there's a new crowd," Littler said. "A few boos here and there but as soon as I got on stage the crowd were absolutely unbelievable." He revealed he deliberately applauded the fans as he entered to win them back over, a tactic that clearly worked as a rendition of 'There's only one Luke Littler' rang out before the match began.
Title Rival Humphries Stunned by Van Veen
The teenager's path to retaining his title became significantly clearer shortly after his own win. His great rival and the world number one, Luke Humphries, crashed out of the tournament, losing 5-1 to an inspired Gian van Veen. The Dutchman averaged an impressive 105.41, hit 11 maximum 180s, and sealed his victory with a spectacular 170 'Big Fish' checkout.
"This smile won't go off in the next 24 hours. I am so over the moon," Van Veen said on stage. Humphries, the 2024 champion, had vowed to challenge Littler for the crown but was comprehensively outplayed, failing to even reach a potential showdown with the defending champion.
Semi-Final Line-Up Takes Shape
Littler now faces Ryan Searle in the last four. Searle has been in formidable form, not dropping a set until his 5-2 quarter-final win over number five seed Jonny Clayton. On the other side of the draw, Gian van Veen will meet the resurgent Gary Anderson, who is through to his first semi-final at Alexandra Palace in four years after ending Justin Hood's run.
The 55-year-old Anderson, a two-time champion, defeated Hood 5-2 and is now just two wins away from a remarkable third world title a decade after his last. If successful, he would become the oldest ever PDC world champion.
Littler, meanwhile, appears on an unstoppable course to become the first man to retain the World Championship since Gary Anderson achieved the feat ten years ago. With the crowd now firmly behind him and his main rival eliminated, the teenager is the overwhelming favourite to claim back-to-back titles.
