Breakthroughs, heavyweight clashes and a final that rewrote the record books.
The final days of the 2025/26 Paddy Power World Darts Championship delivered defining moments under maximum pressure. Gian van Veen’s fearless surge set up the youngest final in tournament history, before Luke Littler closed the door, meeting every challenge head-on to secure a history-making defense of the Sid Waddell Trophy.
Away from the oche, the occasion matched the action. Familiar faces from across sport and entertainment were spotted soaking up the drama, adding to an atmosphere that felt bigger, louder and more charged than ever. Ally Pally was at its absolute peak. As predicted, the Ally Pally wasp also returned for the grand final in good measure – the sport’s biggest stage saved its loudest moments for last.
QUARTER-FINALS
New Year’s Day Shocks, Statements & Semi-Final Places Secured
The quarter-finals opened 2026 with chaos, confidence and careers being redefined.
Gian van Veen 5–1 Luke Humphries
Van Veen announced himself in brutal fashion. Averaging 105.41 and firing in 11 maximums, the Dutchman dismantled the world number two to reach his first-ever World Championship semi-final. Big finishes, fearless tempo and total belief, this was a coming-of-age performance.
Luke Littler 5–0 Krzysztof Ratajski
Ruthless when it mattered. Littler’s 170 checkout in the opening set lit the fuse, and from there it was relentless. Ten 180s, clinical finishing and another statement that the reigning champion had no intention of stepping aside.
Ryan Searle 5–2 Jonny Clayton
Searle powered into his maiden semi-final with controlled aggression. Seventeen straight sets across the tournament came to an end, but his composure in the key moments including a clutch 111 finish proved decisive.
Gary Anderson 5–2 Justin Hood
The fairytale ended, but not without noise. Anderson’s late barrage – nine of the final ten legs ended Hood’s remarkable run, with the Scot reminding everyone why experience still counts when the pressure peaks.
Key Session Insights
Number of 180’s scored in this session – 61
Highest outshot of the session – 170 (Gian Van Veen & Luke Littler)
Highest 3 dart average – 105.41 (Gian Van Veen)
SEMI-FINALS
Youth Unleashed, Nerves Shattered & A Final for the Ages Set
Friday night delivered drama in waves and a final nobody saw coming twelve months ago.
Luke Littler 6–1 Ryan Searle
After dropping the opening set, Littler detonated. Ten consecutive legs. A third 105+ average of the tournament. Total control. At just 18, he became only the second player after Phil Taylor to reach three World Championship finals in his first three appearances.
Gian van Veen 6–3 Gary Anderson
A semi-final classic. Van Veen survived a heavyweight shootout, including a jaw-dropping fifth set where both players traded 170s and Anderson averaged over 117. When the dust settled, it was Van Veen standing – calm, composed and final-bound.
The youngest final in World Championship history was locked in.
Key Session Insights
Number of 180’s scored in this session – 39
Highest outshot of the session – 170 (Ryan Searle, Gian van Veen & Gary Anderson)
Highest 3 dart average – 105.35 (Luke Littler)
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL
Littler Delivers a Masterclass to Retain the Sid Waddell Trophy
Luke Littler 7–1 Gian van Veen
(Best of 13 Sets)
Saturday night at Alexandra Palace delivered a defining moment on every level. Under the brightest lights and with history on the line, Luke Littler came through a demanding World Championship final against Gian van Veen to become the sport’s first £1 million World Champion and only the fourth player to retain the Sid Waddell Trophy.
It was a night that also marked the end of an era, as legendary MC John McDonald signed off from the World Championship stage. For decades, his voice framed the biggest moments in darts and fittingly, his final introduction accompanied one of the sport’s most historic nights.
A champion crowned. A legacy honoured. Ally Pally delivered the moment in full.
Set One – Van Veen Strikes First (Van Veen 3–2)
Van Veen showed zero fear. A clinical 116 checkout and a 12-darter set the tone before Littler missed four darts across the closing legs. The Dutchman pounced drawing first blood and immediately asking questions of the champion.
Set Two – Littler Responds (Littler 3–2)
Momentum swung violently. Van Veen threatened to go 2–0 up with back-to-back 145 and 127 finishes, but a missed double eight opened the door. Littler smashed through it finishing legs of 14 and 12 darts followed by a nerveless 116 to level the match.
Set Three – Pressure Applied (Littler 3–1)
This was the shift. Van Veen opened with a 13-darter, but Littler detonated. A 112 finish, an 11-dart break and a thunderous 170 checkout sent Ally Pally into uproar and handed the champion control.
Set Four – Control Established (Littler 3–0)
Pure authority. Three immaculate 15-dart legs. No openings offered. Littler’s tempo rose and the gap widened, six legs won on the spin.
Set Five – Brief Resistance (Littler 3–1)
Van Veen halted the charge with a sublime tops-tops 137, but it was short-lived. Littler immediately reset, rattling off another three-leg burst to stretch his lead to 4–1.
Set Six – Relentless (Littler 3–0)
Back-to-back 180s. Sustained pressure. Van Veen had darts, but Littler’s scoring refused to let him breathe. The champion moved to within two sets of history.
Set Seven – No Way Back (Littler 3–0)
Van Veen threatened six perfect darts, chances at a 146 finish but Littler slammed the door with an 11-dart break. Clinical. Cold. Championship-level ruthlessness.
Set Eight – History Sealed (Littler 3–1)
One last surge. A 14-dart hold took Littler to the brink before he delivered the perfect finish – a majestic 147. His 16th maximum of the final, and the exclamation mark on a night for the ages.
Key Session Insights
Number of 180’s scored in this session – 25
Highest outshot of the session – 170 (Luke Littler)
Highest 3 dart average – 106.02 (Luke Littler)
FINAL WORD
From Gian van Veen’s fearless rise to Luke Littler’s command of the biggest stage, the 2025/26 World Championship delivered moments that will define an era. The Ally Pally delivered moments that will last, a crowd that never let up and a stage built to handle pressure at its absolute peak.
We’re more than ready for what comes next. And if this was a glimpse of darts’ future -buckle up.
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