Luke Littler is the youngest World Darts champion ever – how did he get here?
Seventeen-year-old Luke Littler swept aside darting great Michael van Gerwen last night to become the youngest World Darts champion ever.
The teenage sensation made it look easy in the final at Alexandra Palace, beating the three-time world champion 7-3.
To add insult to injury, he also stole the Dutchman’s record as youngest ever world champ with seven years to spare – van Gerwen was 24 when he first won it.
The extraordinary victory comes off the back of an equally impressive 12 months for Littler which saw him win 10 trophies in his first pro season.
Littler holds his trophy after dispatching van Gerwen. Pic: PA
The teen has fast become one of the sport’s biggest names and is now world number two – but how did he get here?
Here’s everything you need to know about the darting prodigy and his meteoric rise – from learning to play in nappies as a toddler to building new rivalries.
Playing darts at 18 months old
He may only be a teenager but Littler, from Warrington, Cheshire, has been practising his throwing for some time.
He previously told Sky News: “There’s a video on YouTube of me when I was 18 months in a nappy listening to Raymond van Barneveld’s music, listening to Phil Taylor’s music, doing their celebrations.
“That’s when it started – 18 months and in a nappy on a magnetic board.
“[Aged] four or five I was on a proper board but it was a bit low and then about seven to eight, that’s when I started playing [at] the proper height and the proper length. So it’s just been all darts in my life so far.”
Talent is one thing, but having the right support system to nurture it is just as important.
The teen clearly thinks a lot of his parents, who he said were “proud” of what he had achieved.
All eyes were on the teenager as he walked out for the semi-final. Pic: PA
“They just can’t believe [it], I can’t believe it myself,” he told Sky News during the world championships last year.
“But it’s just good to have a set of parents who are supportive and that are always there for me and I’ve got a good management team around me. So it’s just the best group of people that can be around me, to be honest.”
For coaches and friends who watched Littler play at St Helens Darts Academy in his early years, his rapid rise in the professional game is no surprise.
“He was averaging stupid averages that you should be [getting at] like 16 to 20 years old, but he was doing it at 10,” his former coach Karl Holden told Sky News.
“He was special then,” he added.
Eleanor Cairns, a fellow darts player who has known the 17-year-old for five years, told Sky News Littler has got a “natural throw” and showed natural talent “from the start”.
But she believes his success comes down to far more than just being gifted.
“I know he does a lot of practice for the competitions,” Ms Cairns said.
“Luke never really stops playing darts throughout the week either, so he’s definitely always throwing. It does take a lot, but I know he’s worked hard for it.”
His career so far
It was his remarkable run to the 2023/24 world championship final which made Littler a household name, but his talent had been evident for some time.
He won the England Youth Grand Prix in 2019, became England Youth Open champion in 2021 and won his first senior title at the Irish Open later that year.
He won the Welsh Open in 2022 and in 2023 notched further senior titles at the Isle of Man Classic, Gibraltar Open, British Open and British Classic.
He was also back-to-back JDC World Champion and reigning World Youth Champion.
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Avid darts fans already knew of the rising star, but his unprecedented run in the 2023/24 World Darts Championship aged just 16 made him an instant celebrity.
The teenager beat three former world champions on his journey to the final – defeating Christian Kist in his opening game before overcoming one of his heroes, the five-time world champion and darts legend Raymond van Barneveld, to reach the quarter-finals.
Brendan Dolan was next, then he defeated the 2018 champion Rob Cross in the semi-final to earn his place in a historic final against then world number one Luke Humphries.
A valiant performance saw the then 16-year-old produce more of the spectacular darts that inspired his run to the final as he moved into a 4-2 lead, but Humphries fought back to win 7-4.
Littler after losing to Humphries last year
The loss did nothing to stunt Littler’s progress – and the experience would prove pivotal a year later.
2024 saw record-breaking success for Littler on the senior stage, seeing him become just the fourth player ever to win 10 trophies in a season, including the Premier League, Grand Slam and World Series of Darts Finals.
Even he cannot quite believe how much he has achieved in his debut year, crediting his early victory at the Bahrain Masters, in which he hit a nine-darter, with spurring him on.
“I just wanted to win a few Pro Tours, but obviously winning Bahrain, the World Series, and then it was just European Tours, Pro Tours, and just all the titles I’ve picked up. It just goes to show how well I’ve been playing,” he told Sky Sports News at the end of November.
“It was good to win Bahrain, the first tournament of 2024. I’ve put my hands on it and I just had to build from it there and that’s what I’ve done.”
It was clear well before the world championships began that he wasn’t settling for 10.
“I could potentially end the year on 11, couldn’t I? But yeah, I’ve set another record”, Littler said.
“I’ve put my name into the other players who have won 10 titles this year. But like I said, potentially it could be 11 by next year and I’ll try and break the record.
“I got the runner-up on my first go, but yeah, I’d like to win it… I think I can win it.”
Awards, fans and fame
Littler accepts BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year award. Pic: PA
Littler’s celebrity status has risen with every dart he’s thrown.
His Instagram account went from 4,000 followers at the start of last year’s tournament to over 450,000 by the final. Now it’s at 1.6 million.
Not only that – the teenager’s prize earnings have now topped £1.5m after yesterday’s win bagged him £500,000.
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Littler talks fame during last world championships
His light-hearted interviews and extraordinary performances led to Littler being named BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year 2024 last month – he was beaten to the senior award by 800m runner Keely Hodgkinson.
Posting on X, Littler called the public’s recognition a “huge honour”.
“Support this year has been amazing and [I] want to say thank you to everyone who voted and sent messages,” he said.
The teenager admitted his life has drastically changed as a result of his success.
This time last year, he told Sky Sports his life had already changed.
“I’m doing interviews with Sky Sports. Usually I am up in the morning watching Sky Sports News. Now I am on the news. It’s all incredible. I am taking it all in my stride,” said Littler.
Now, he said it’s at a completely different level.
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Fans cheer on Littler before semi-final
Asked if he can walk down the street or go to the shop without being bothered, he laughed and told Sky Sports News: “Not really. Because it’s only a small town and you get spotted everywhere. But I don’t mind taking pictures and seeing all the fans.”
Growing rivalry with van Gerwen
Michael van Gerwen embraces Luke Littler after winning a Premier League match in May. Pic: PA
The 2025 final was the 13th match-up between the two biggest faces in darts, having won six each in various competitions in 2024.
The head-to-head looked even, but there was a stark contrast between the pair’s past 12 months; while Littler won 10 titles, his Dutch counterpart failed to win a televised tournament in a calendar year for the first time since 2011.
Still, an experienced pro like 35-year-old van Gerwen couldn’t be underestimated, and he was going into the final looking as much a threat as ever, having thrashed his semi-final opponent Chris Dobey 6-1.
He wasn’t just after his fourth world title – he was also looking to defend his record as youngest ever winner.
The 17-year-old hadn’t shied away from what breaking that record would mean.
“Well, I know Michael van Gerwen holds the youngest at 24, so I’ve got seven years,” Littler told Sky Sports News before the tournament.
“I could just slouch about for six years and then just win it when I’m 24.
“But no, I’d like to obviously win it before Michael won it. It’d mean everything. So to be the youngest, that’s definitely what I’d be looking for.”
Road to the 2024/25 final
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Littler’s road to the final
After being exempt from the first round due to being seeded, Littler started the Alexandra Palace tournament with a surprisingly tough bout against Ryan Meikle in round two, recovering from a slow start to dominate the closing stages of the contest, wrapping up a 3-1 victory.
Next up was Ian White in round three, who gave the teenager another scare, forcing a tight opening set before winning the second. But Littler kept a cool head to eventually see his opponent off with a 4-1 win.
Round four saw a 4-3 thriller between Littler and Ryan Joyce, where the favourite never trailed, but was pushed to the limit by his unseeded opponent as he was repeatedly pegged back.
Littler then hit form, hitting 15 maximums against Nathan Aspinall in a 5-2 quarter-final win before thrashing 39-year-old Stephen Bunting 6 sets to 1 to set up the dream van Gerwen finale.
Littler blows van Gerwen away
Littler celebrates world championship victory. Pic: Reuters
What looked like a contest too close to call quickly became something of a whitewash.
Littler had the Ally Pally crowd firmly on his side and, with their support, got off to a blistering start, winning six out of the first seven legs and the second set with a mind-blowing 115.62 average to race into a 2-0 lead.
Before van Gerwen knew it the teenager was four sets up, with 12 legs won compared to just three for van Gerwen.
He was assured all night, repeatedly knocking in double 10 and double-top to heap pressure on the three-time champion.
The Dutchman staged a mini revival, snatching the fifth set, but Littler kept his cool to prevent his opponent from halving the deficit, swiftly restoring his four-set lead and making it 5-1.
Van Gerwen won the next set to make it 5-2, but Littler came back with a vengeance to breeze through the eighth set to put himself a set away from glory.
Littler’s esteemed rival hit back once again and broke the throw to put the score at 6-3, threatening a late surge.
With pressure high and the Ally Pally crowd at fever pitch, Littler showed his steel as the biggest moment of his career arrived and after picking up the first two legs of the 10th set, he took out two bullseyes and then, on his next visit, D16 to officially become the youngest ever world champion.
‘I can’t believe it!’
After showing composure far beyond his years throughout the night, Littler was instantly brought to tears in front of the screaming Ally Pally crowd.
“I can’t believe it! Honestly, I can’t believe it,” Littler said.
“We both played so well. I said in my interviews, I needed to get off to a quick start and that’s what I did.
“Michael was behind me the whole game. Those cover shots, when he would hit two trebles and I had to come back with two or three, he was right behind me the whole way through.
“Everyone dreams of lifting this trophy but you have to get through a tough field.”
Van Gerwen was quick to congratulate Littler, calling him a “star”, though he was critical of his own performance, saying he didn’t do himself justice in the contest or play to the level he did in the rest of the tournament.
van Gerwen reacts during his frustrating final performance. Pic: PA
“Every moment he got to hurt me, he did,” he added.
“I sometimes say every 17 years a star gets born and he’s one of them.
“Don’t get me wrong, I had a lovely tournament. I’ve been battling my own game but that’s how it was. You have to take it on the chin and take it as a champion.
“It hurts but that’s how it should be. It is what it is.”
What next for the Nuke?
Littler will not practice seriously for a week, but he’ll have barely any time to rest on his laurels; he’ll defend his Bahrain Darts Masters title in mid-January before going on to defend his Premier League crown in February.
After his world championship win, Sky Sports Darts’ Mark Webster analysed the challenges facing Littler going into the 2025 season.
“Littler came here under pressure and he wasn’t the defending champion. He had a bullseye on him and he certainly has a bullseye on him now,” he said.
“They are going to have to bring their A-game and more because we have seen what he has just done to Michael van Gerwen and what he has done throughout this tournament.
“He is not even two years into his career, the challenge now is for him to go and win other majors he hasn’t won and then defend his title next year.
“There is always something else to achieve. He will never think he has completed anything. You have just got to applaud his dedication, he has been dedicated for a long, long time.”
UK
Police officer punched in face as masked protesters with children march through Canary Wharf shopping centre
A group of masked protesters became “aggressive” towards police at Canary Wharf shopping centre after an anti-asylum demonstration, police say.
A group of people entered the shopping centre around 4.30pm and a “small number of masked protesters” then became aggressive towards members of the public and police, the Metropolitan Police said in a statement.
Police issued an order to “prevent people concealing their identity with masks” and a dispersal order was also put in place.
Video seen on social media showed young children among the protesters, with some of them wearing England flags.
Officers said: “We are aware there are young children in the protest area and while we deal with any criminality our officers are ensuring the safety of them is paramount.”
Police said four people were arrested on Sunday afternoon during the protests, including for common assault by a protester on a member of the public, possession of class A and B drugs, assault on police/public order offences and failure to disperse.
“One of our officers was punched in the face – luckily they did not suffer significant injury,” a spokesperson said.
Commander Adam Slonecki, in charge of policing London this weekend, said: “We had plenty of officers on the ground who moved in swiftly to deal with the criminality that occurred inside and outside the shopping centre. We will not tolerate this kind of behaviour.
“Today’s protest saw many community members attend, including women and children, and we worked to ensure the safety of those there to peacefully represent their views. Those who arrive at protests masked and intent on causing trouble will continue to be dealt with robustly at future protests.”
People protest outside the Britannia International Hotel in Canary Wharf. Pic: PA
Counter-protesters also assembled outside the Britannia International Hotel. Pic: PA
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Protesters from both sides of the divide over the UK’s immigration policies gathered outside the Britannia Hotel in Canary Wharf on Sunday afternoon.
Around a dozen anti-immigration protesters were joined by about 100 counter-protesters holding banners saying “stand up to racism” and “stop the far right” on the other side of the road.
Demonstrators then left the hotel location – kept apart by police.
Sunday’s events in east London follow an incident in West Drayton, west London, on Saturday when a group of masked men were among those who attempted to enter a hotel housing asylum seekers.
UK
Reform deputy attacks govt for ‘protecting rights’ of illegal migrants – and fires back at Archbishop of York
Reform UK has hit back at both the Archbishop of York and the government following criticism of its immigration policies.
Leader Nigel Farage announced the party’s flagship immigration plan during a flashy news conference held at an aircraft hangar in Oxford on Tuesday.
The party pledged to deport anybody who comes to the UK illegally, regardless of whether they might come to harm, and said it would pay countries with questionable human rights records – such as Afghanistan – to take people back.
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It also said it would leave numerous international agreements, and revoke the Human Rights Act, in order to do this.
The policy was criticised by the Conservatives, who said Mr Farage was “copying our homework”, while parties such as the Liberal Democrats and the Greens condemned it.
Archbishop Stephen Cottrell and Richard Tice MP. Pics: PA
But the plan came under fire from an altogether different angle on Saturday, when the Archbishop of York accused it of being an “isolationist, short-term kneejerk” approach, with no “long-term solutions”.
Stephen Cottrell, who is the acting head of the Church of England, told Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips that he had “every sympathy” with those who find the issue of immigration tricky. But he said Reform UK’s plan does “nothing to address the issue of what brings people to this country”, and would in fact, make “the problem worse”.
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In full: Richard Tice on Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips
Speaking on the same programme, Richard Tice, Reform’s deputy leader, responded to the archbishop’s criticisms, saying that “all of it is wrong”.
The MP for Boston and Skegness said he was a Christian who “enjoys” the church – but that the “role of the archbishop is not actually to interfere with international migration policies”.
Mr Tice then turned his fire on the government, accusing ministers of being “more interested in protecting the rights of people who’ve come here illegally… than looking after the rights of British citizens”.
He accused ministers of having “abandoned” their duty of “looking after the interests of British citizens”.
Mr Tice reaffirmed his party’s policy that the UK should leave the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), calling it a “70-year-old, out-of-date, unfit-for-purpose agreement”.
The Reform UK deputy leader also:
• Defended plans to pay the Taliban to take migrants back, comparing it to doing business deals with “people you don’t like”
• Said the Royal Navy should be deployed in the English Channel as a “deterrent”, but added: “We’re not saying sink the boats”
• Urged the government to call an early general election
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Farage ‘wants to provoke anger’
Meanwhile, Bridget Phillipson, the education secretary, told Sky News that Reform “want to provoke anger, but they don’t actually want to solve the problems that we face in front of us”.
She told Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips the UK had a “proud tradition [of] supporting those facing persecution”.
But she added: “We will make sure that people who have no right to be in this country are removed from this country. That’s right. It’s what people expect. It’s what this government will deliver.”
Ms Phillipson also insisted there “needs to be reform of the ECHR” and said the home secretary is “looking at the article eight provisions”, which cover the right to a private and family life, to see “whether they need updating and reforming for the modern age”.
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However, she refused to say what the government would do if it is found that the ECHR is unreformable. Instead, she defended Labour’s position of staying in the governance of the convention, saying that honouring the “rule of law” is important.
She added: “Our standing in the world matters if we want to strike trade deals with countries. We need to be a country that’s taken seriously. We need to be a country that honours our obligations and honours the rule of law.”
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Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips
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Asylum seekers to remain at Bell Hotel
Ms Phillipson was also drawn on the recent court ruling in favour of the Home Office, which overturned an injunction banning The Bell Hotel in Epping from housing asylum seekers.
Challenged on whether the government is prioritising the rights of asylum seekers over British citizens, she said it “is about a balance of rights”.
The cabinet minister also repeated the government’s plans to end the use of hotels to house asylum seekers by 2029.
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‘We should have overruled law’
Shadow Cabinet Office minister Alex Burghart said the Conservatives would be willing to leave the ECHR – if this route is recommended to them.
The Tories have asked a senior judge to look into the “legal intricacies” of leaving the convention, which he said is “not straightforward”. He said when the party receives that report, it will then make a decision.
Challenged on whether the Tories will leave if that is what the report recommends, he added: “If that’s what’s necessary, we will do it.”
Mr Burghart also said he believed the previous Conservative government’s biggest mistake was that “we did not go far enough on overruling human rights legislation”, which prevented it from “taking the tough action that was absolutely necessary”.
But he added the Conservatives have now “put forward very clear legislation that would solve this problem” – though he concluded Labour “isn’t going to do it” so the problem “is going to get worse”.
UK
Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell tells Nigel Farage ‘kneejerk’ migrant deportation plan won’t solve problem
The Archbishop of York has told Sky News the UK should resist Reform’s “kneejerk” plan for the mass deportation of migrants, telling Nigel Farage he is not offering any “long-term solution”.
Stephen Cottrell said in an interview with Trevor Phillips he has “every sympathy” with people who are concerned about asylum seekers coming to the country illegally.
But he criticised the plan announced by Reform on Tuesday to deport 600,000 people, which would be enabled by striking deals with the Taliban and Iran, saying it will not “solve the problem”.
Mr Cottrell is currently acting head of the Church of England while a new Archbishop of Canterbury is chosen.
Pic: Jacob King/PA Wire
The Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell in 2020.
File pic: PA
Phillips asked him: “What’s your response to the people who are saying the policy should be ‘you land here, unlawfully, you get locked up and you get deported straight away. No ifs, no buts’?”
Mr Cottrell said he would tell them “you haven’t solved the problem”, adding: “You’ve just put it somewhere else and you’ve done nothing to address the issue of what brings people to this country.
“And so if you think that’s the answer, you will discover in due course that all you have done is made the problem worse.
“Don’t misunderstand me, I have every sympathy with those who find this difficult, every sympathy – as I do with those living in poverty.
“But… we should actively resist the kind of isolationist, short term kneejerk ‘send them home’.”
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What do public make of Reform’s plans?
Nigel Farage at the launch of Reform UK’s plan to deport asylum seekers. Pic: PA
Asked if that was his message to the Reform leader, he said: “Well, it is. I mean, Mr Farage is saying the things he’s saying, but he is not offering any long-term solution to the big issues which are convulsing our world, which lead to this. And, I see no other way.”
You can watch the full interview on Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips on Sky News from 8.30am
Mr Farage, the MP for Clacton, was asked at a news conference this week what he would say if Christian leaders opposed his plan.
“Whoever the Christian leaders are at any given point in time, I think over the last decades, quite a few of them have been rather out of touch, perhaps with their own flock,” he said.
“We believe that what we’re offering is right and proper, and we believe for a political party that was founded around the slogan of family, community, country that we are doing right by all of those things, with these plans we put forward today.”
Sky News has approached Mr Farage for comment.
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