Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
LUKE LITTLER OVERCAME the Ally Pally wasp to thrash Gian van Veen and cement his position as one of the greats of the sport after winning back-to-back World Championship titles.
The 18-year-old joins Phil Taylor, Adrian Lewis and Gary Anderson in winning successive crowns and he is the new king of Alexandra Palace.
Littler burst onto the scene with an epic debut run to the final two years ago and has not lost on that stage since after a masterful 7-1 win over Van Veen, which earned him a record £1million [€1.15m] prize cheque.
With an average of almost 106, 15 maximums and a ‘Big Fish’ 170 checkout, this was one of the great final performances.
147 checkout to win it!
— Sky Sports Darts (@SkySportsDarts) January 3, 2026
Luke Littler wins the 2026 World Darts Championship final in style 🤩 pic.twitter.com/YJF1XmMUps
He has been a tour de force over the last year, winning five of the last six major tournaments, and looks set for an era-defining period of domination similar to what Taylor enjoyed.
Indeed, his biggest obstacle on a trouble-free night was the reappearance of the Ally Pally wasp, who made a beeline for Littler in the fourth set, causing a short delay while both players and referee George Noble swatted it away.
Even though the final was not the close contest people were expecting, Van Veen has emerged as a serious contender and Luke Humphries is still his number one rival, but Littler has been virtually unbeatable in all of the big tournaments.
He has become the first man to retain his Ally Pally title since Anderson a decade ago.
Certainly there is no one to match him over the longer contests. He suffocates his opponents with his relentless scoring and his ability to go through the gears and deliver a golden spell means he is always in every match.
That is what he did to Van Veen, who fell at the final hurdle in his breakout competition.
The 23-year-old beat former champions Humphries and Anderson en route to the final but this was a match too far.
Van Veen was beaten up by an unforgiving Littler and he left a blood mark on the board after cutting his hand.
Still, Van Veen is the new world number three despite falling just short in his quest to follow in the footsteps of countrymen Raymond van Barneveld and Michael van Gerwen by winning the World Championship.
The Ally Pally wasp is BACK! 🐝 pic.twitter.com/uynDFEXE2w
— Sky Sports Darts (@SkySportsDarts) January 3, 2026
But his performance over the course of the competition has proved he will operate at the top of the sport alongside Littler for many years.
It should be no surprise that these two contested the youngest-ever final at the World Championship as the pair met in the World Youth Championship two years ago, with Littler’s victory kickstarting his journey to the top of the sport, where he looks set to finish for some time.
Written by Press Association and originally published on The 42 whose award-winning team produces original content that you won’t find anywhere else: on GAA, League of Ireland, women’s sport and boxing, as well as our game-changing rugby coverage, all with an Irish eye. Subscribe here.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
have your say