Luke Littler set to defend World Matchplay title against Gerwyn Price
Luke Littler will attempt to defend his Betfred World Matchplay crown tonight when he meets Gerwyn Price in the final at Blackpool’s Winter Gardens, reports BritPanorama.
The 19-year-old world No 1 heads into the showpiece contest as an overwhelming favourite, having maintained a remarkable average above 109 across all four of his matches en route to the final.
Littler demolished Dirk van Duijvenbode 17-5 in Saturday’s semi-final, posting a 110.88 average alongside 16 maximums in a devastating display of power scoring. Victory tonight would make him the first player to retain the title since Michael van Gerwen, while also potentially delivering the highest tournament average in the event’s history.
Price, meanwhile, arrives at his first major televised final since 2023 and his maiden World Matchplay decider since 2022, having beaten Gian van Veen 17-10 in the last four. The Welshman has come out on the losing side in his last nine meetings with Littler, a sequence dating back to the Bahrain Darts Masters in January, yet remains bullish about his prospects.
“When I go into any game I’m the favourite, that’s the way I believe and that’s the way I prepare,” Price declared. “I really believe that if I hit my A-game, it doesn’t matter who I play, I’m winning, simple as that.” He added: “Luke’s going to be a massive favourite in the final, but definitely don’t underestimate me!”
Price suggested after his quarter-final victory over Ross Smith that some players make life too comfortable for Littler, but the teenager dismissed that notion. “I know that every player is going to play at least 10 times better against me than the previous round, because they have to,” Littler responded. “They’ve been putting in these numbers consistently, game after game, then someone’s got to do something really special to beat me.”
The defending champion wrapped up his semi-final with a 13-darter, a result that also saw him become the first player in PDC history to surpass £3 million in career prize money. Coverage of tonight’s best-of-35-leg final gets underway at 7.30pm on Sky Sports Action and Sky Sports Main Event, with the first dart expected at approximately 8.15pm.
Littler is also chasing an extraordinary record of claiming every televised major title in 2026. Price, the former world No 1, acknowledged he has yet to produce his finest darts this tournament but insisted there is more to come. “I’m in a major final and I haven’t played anywhere near my best in any of these games,” he said. “I know I’ve got a lot more in the tank.”
The anticipation surrounding tonight’s final underscores the allure of darts as a sporting spectacle, where the narratives of rivalry and redemption intertwine, offering a compelling reason for fans to tune in.
