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Luke Littler defends World Matchplay title, aims to be 'greatest darts player ever'
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Luke Littler, the 19-year-old world No. 1, successfully defended his Betfred World Matchplay title in Blackpool, becoming the first player since Michael van Gerwen to do so. He has now won every PDC major title in 2026, including the World Championship, UK Open, Winmau World Masters, Premier League, and World Cup of Darts. Littler smashed the tournament average record with 111.04, surpassing Phil Taylor's 2010 mark of 106.31, and broke his own record for most 180s. In an interview with Sky Sports, Littler reiterated his ambition to become the 'greatest darts player ever,' acknowledging he needs to match Taylor's 16 world titles and other achievements. The article notes that while Littler's scoring rivals Taylor's prime, he would need to win every World Matchplay until 2040 to equal Taylor's title tally, highlighting the longevity required for such comparisons.
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Highlights from Luke Littler's impressive victory over Gerwyn Price in the World Matchplay Darts final
Luke Littler has reiterated his dream to become the "greatest darts player ever" after his dominant Betfred World Matchplay title defence, with the world No. 1's latest win drawing further comparisons to Phil Taylor's past record-breaking success.
Littler capped off a historic week at Blackpool's Winter Gardens, becoming the first player since Michael van Gerwen to successfully defend his title. He continues his record of winning every PDC major title in 2026 so far.
The book of darting superlatives is rapidly running out of pages to describe Littler's brilliance, with the teenager continuing to climb to generational heights in the sport and overtake many records held by childhood idol Taylor.
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Luke Littler smashed in six brilliant 100+ checkouts during his final against Gerwyn Price, as he reclaimed the World Matchplay title in Blackpool
Littler had already defended titles at the World Championship and the UK Open, plus won the Winmau World Masters, Premier League and the World Cup of Darts. The 19-year-old is now chasing more success in the months and years ahead.
"I don't think anyone has ever won every major in the calendar year and that is what we are pushing for," Littler told Sky Sports. "The family, they are always backing me a million per cent and that is what drives me on."
Image: Can Luke Littler win every darts title in the same year?
"I would absolutely love to be the greatest dart player there ever has been. As I have always said, I have got to win 16 of these, 16 worlds, and then have a look at whatever else Phil Taylor did win.
"I have got plenty more years. When am I going to retire? Who knows. I have still got plenty more years left in the tank."
Littler smashed the highest tournament average, posting 111.04 across his five matches to beat Taylor's 2010 previous best of 106.31, plus broke his own record of most 180s at a World Matchplay.
Image: Luke Littler now holds five of the top six match averages in World Matchplay history
"I am very happy with myself and the performances, not only in the final but the past eight days, every round," Littler added. "It is crazy to say that the 109 average was my worst average throughout the tournament!"
Why Time Is Required in Taylor Comparisons
Littler may have his hands back on the trophy named after Taylor, but he would need to win every World Matchplay until 2040 just to equal the all-time title tally of 'The Power'.
In 2007, six months after Luke Littler was born, Phil Taylor made a quarter-final exit at the World Matchplay — just the second time this century that 'The Power' had been beaten on the Winter Gardens stage.
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After defending his World Matchplay title, Luke Littler discusses the levels he's reaching at the moment and how it compares to Phil Taylor
Seven years later, the week after Littler left year two of primary school, Taylor had still not lost another match at the event and was closing out a seventh consecutive World Matchplay title.
Taylor won a record 38 consecutive matches during that title streak and lost just eight times in his 24-year career at the World Matchplay, with no player since coming remotely close to beating those extraordinary achievements.
The trophy comparisons may be a mismatch, but the scoring differences between the two are certainly not. Littler posted the second-highest tournament winning average in the sport's history and just 0.5 points behind Taylor's 2009 European Championship win — despite playing over double the legs Taylor did that week.
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Luke Littler Dominates World Matchplay, Reaches Final Against Gerwyn Price