World Matchplay Darts has rarely seen a player dominate the stage like Luke Littler in 2026. The teenager entered Blackpool as the defending champion with high expectations, but he has far exceeded them with statistics that seem almost impossible. Littler’s performance in the preliminary rounds has already set a new benchmark for excellence in the sport.
A nine-dart finish on the World Matchplay stage would typically be the highlight of any player’s night, yet that feat has become almost routine for Littler. His numbers in the opening rounds are staggering. Littler posted an average of 113 in the first round, the second-highest in the event’s history behind Phil Taylor’s 114.99 in 2010. He followed that with a 109 average in the second round and the quarter-finals, displaying consistency that rarely occurs at this level of play.
The teenager hit 17 maximum 180s against Josh Rock and 14 against Nathan Aspinall. If his heights were not already incomprehensible, they have gone up a notch. Littler knows he can dominate the sport, and he plans to keep pushing his averages back up to the 113s for his next match.
“I feel really good up on the stage. Preparations beforehand have gone really well, just relaxing, playing and relaxing again. I am just glad I can perform on the biggest stages,” Littler said.
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“I feel like I can. Obviously a 109 average, a 113 and back down to a 109 average comes with the big finishes. The scoring power is there as well.”
As long as he can keep it up, Littler is confident he will continue to dominate the competition. His next challenge comes from Dirk van Duijvenbode, who must attempt to stop Littler’s charge on Saturday.
Littler’s win over Josh Rock marked the 27th consecutive time he has won a match that went over 20 legs. This streak highlights a psychological advantage he holds over his opponents when matches extend to the full distance. The world No 1 is also on a quest to become the first player since Michael van Gerwen in 2016 to win the World Matchplay twice in a row.
With all that in mind, Sky Sports Darts’ Mark Webster has a simple message for the Dutchman facing the best player in the world: “Good luck.”
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“He can play in spells. I say spells because he’s been doing it all tournament. I was delighted for Josh because it was an improved performance and a 101 average but he lost by nine legs so it just shows how good Littler is,” Webster said.
“He looks comfortable in every scenario. Good luck to Dirk on Saturday. It’s 111 tournament average. He’s played almost 60 legs. He’s just too good! He’s focused and relaxed.”
“He’s by far the best player in the world. It’s frightening form.”
The quarter-finals continue on Friday night, live from 7.30pm on Sky Sports Main Event and Action. Gian van Veen and James Wade will do battle for a second year in a row, with the world No 3 looking to avenge his loss to ‘The Machine’ in 2025. Gerwyn Price faces Ross Smith after Smith advanced when Cameron Menzies withdrew from their second-round match in the fourth leg due to illness.