Littler defends Matchplay title, breaks Taylor's record

Luke Littler defended his World Matchplay title in striking fashion at Blackpool on July 26, 2026, defeating seventh seed Gerwyn Price with a score of 18-9. The 19-year-old's victory positioned him as only the fourth player to win back-to-back Matchplay titles. Littler's average for the week reached an impressive 111.04, surpassing Phil Taylor's previous record of 106.31 set in 2010. In the final match, Littler averaged 111.53, setting another new record, eclipsing Taylor’s 111.23 average from his match against Adrian Lewis in 2013.

For his efforts, Littler earned £225,000 in prize money, bringing his total earnings over the PDC’s two-year order of merit to a remarkable £3,143,500. This total places him £2.13 million ahead of Luke Humphries, who is currently in second place. After his match, Littler shared with Sky Sports, "It’s been a crazy week, one of the best weeks of my life with the darts I’ve played," acknowledging the challenges posed by the high-stakes environment of the stage.

Price, despite the loss, had an impressive average of 104.97 during the final and made significant strides during the tournament, rising to fourth place in the order of merit while reclaiming the top Welsh player rank from Jonny Clayton. In his path to victory, Littler demonstrated skill and poise, notably executing a stunning 167 finish in the fourth leg which allowed him an early lead of 4-1 in the first mini-session. He maintained his momentum, leading 8-2, and his average hovered around 114.74, positioning him to challenge Taylor's record of 114.99 in any Matchplay game.

Although his averages dipped in the subsequent two sessions, he managed to secure victories of 3-2 in both, pushing him closer to the title. A brilliant 148 checkout during the final solidified his lead, marking his sixth ton-plus finish in the match. Additionally, Littler's performance in the final included 12 180s, establishing a new tournament record total of 66.

This win extends his impressive streak to 29 consecutive victories in matches comprising 20 or more legs. He suffered his last defeat in this format during the final of the 2024 World Championship against Luke Humphries.

Price commended Littler’s exceptional talent, expressing, "Luke is one in a million. He’s fantastic for the sport. I wish he wasn’t as good as he is." Post-match, Littler conveyed his ambition to sweep the PDC ranking titles in the calendar year, a feat never before accomplished. He acknowledged the challenges ahead, given that he had previously skipped the first 24 Pro Tour events but planned to participate in the remaining eight before the Players Championship Finals in November.