Luke Littler is PDC World Champion again. The Englishman successfully defended his title at Alexandra Palace, beating Gian van Veen 7-1 in the 2026 World Championship final.
Played from 11 December 2025 to 3 January 2026, the tournament also marked a major change for the PDC’s flagship event: the field expanded to a record 128 players, every player entered in Round One, and the total prize fund rose to £5 million.
World Championship final: Luke Littler beats Gian van Veen 7-1
Van Veen made the better start to the final on 3 January and took the opening set to lead 1-0.
From there, Littler took control. The defending champion won the next seven sets to complete a commanding 7-1 victory.
Littler averaged approximately 106 in the final and sealed the championship with a 147 checkout. It was his second world title in only his third appearance at Alexandra Palace.
He became only the fourth player to retain the PDC World Championship, following Phil Taylor, Adrian Lewis and Gary Anderson.
2026 World Darts Championship results: quarter-finals to final
| Round | Match | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Final | Luke Littler – Gian van Veen | 7-1 |
| Semi-final | Luke Littler – Ryan Searle | 6-1 |
| Semi-final | Gian van Veen – Gary Anderson | 6-3 |
| Quarter-final | Luke Littler – Krzysztof Ratajski | 5-0 |
| Quarter-final | Ryan Searle – Jonny Clayton | 5-2 |
| Quarter-final | Luke Humphries – Gian van Veen | 1-5 |
| Quarter-final | Gary Anderson – Justin Hood | 5-2 |
Van Veen’s 5-1 quarter-final victory over Luke Humphries was one of the defining results of the tournament. Justin Hood’s run to the last eight was another notable feature of the closing stages.
Luke Littler’s route to a second world title
Littler arrived at Alexandra Palace as defending champion and world number one. Despite the expanded field, he reached the final for the third time in his first three appearances at the World Championship.
His dominance was particularly clear in the closing stages. He whitewashed Krzysztof Ratajski 5-0 in the quarter-finals before beating Ryan Searle 6-1 in the semi-final.
The title completed another remarkable World Championship run: three consecutive finals and two titles in his first three appearances.
Gian van Veen’s breakthrough run
Van Veen’s final defeat should not overshadow the scale of his tournament. The Dutchman reached a senior PDC World Championship final for the first time.
His statement performance came in the quarter-finals, where he defeated Luke Humphries 5-1. He then beat two-time world champion Gary Anderson 6-3 in the semi-final.
Van Veen’s run established him as one of the central figures of the tournament and gave the Netherlands another World Championship finalist.
A new era: the first 128-player PDC World Championship
The 2025/26 edition was the first PDC World Championship to feature 128 players, up from 96.
The expansion also changed the draw. All 128 players, including the leading seeds, entered at the first-round stage.
The championship retained its set-play format, with matches becoming progressively longer through the tournament and the final played over a best-of-13-sets format.
Record prize money: £5 million and a £1 million champion’s prize
The expanded championship was accompanied by a major increase in prize money.
Littler therefore became the first darts world champion to collect a £1 million winner’s prize.
What the 2026 World Championship changed
The 2026 tournament marked a structural milestone for professional darts. The field grew to 128 players, the total prize fund reached £5 million and the champion’s prize hit £1 million for the first time.
Yet the biggest sporting story was continuity at the top. Littler turned his third consecutive World Championship final into a second consecutive title.
Van Veen provided the breakthrough story. His victories over Humphries and Anderson carried him to his first World Championship final and underlined the strength of a new generation at the top of the sport.
2026 PDC World Championship: quick answers
Who won the 2026 PDC World Darts Championship?
Luke Littler retained the title by beating Gian van Veen 7-1 in the final.
Who did Luke Littler beat in the final?
Littler defeated Dutchman Gian van Veen, who was appearing in his first senior PDC World Championship final.
How many players competed?
A record 128 players took part, with every player entering in Round One.
How much prize money was available?
The total prize fund was £5 million, with £1 million awarded to champion Luke Littler.
When was the tournament played?
The championship ran from 11 December 2025 to 3 January 2026.
Where was the World Championship held?
The tournament was staged at Alexandra Palace in London.
