Can Luke Littler complete a historic PDC majors clean sweep in 2026?

Luke Littler’s pursuit of an unprecedented clean sweep of the PDC’s biggest titles in 2026 has hit its first serious obstacle after the world number one suffered a quarter-final defeat at Players Championship 27 in Leicester.

The 19-year-old has dominated the sport this year, winning every major tournament he has entered so far. However, his hopes of adding the Players Championship Finals title to that extraordinary collection are complicated by the fact that he still has work to do simply to qualify for the event.

Littler made his first Players Championship appearance of the season at PC27 on Tuesday, having chosen to miss the opening 26 events of the campaign.

He made an impressive start to his return to floor competition before eventually falling to Jermaine Wattimena in a dramatic deciding leg.

Luke Littler’s pursuit of an unprecedented clean sweep of the PDC’s biggest titles in 2026 has hit its first serious obstacle after the world number one suffered a quarter-final defeat at Players Championship 27 in Leicester.

The 19-year-old has dominated the sport this year, winning every major tournament he has entered so far. However, his hopes of adding the Players Championship Finals title that that extraordinary collection are complicating the fact that he still has work to do simply to qualify for the event.

Littler made his first Players Championship appearance of the season at PC27 on Tuesday, having chosen to miss the opening 26 events of the campaign.

He made an impressive start to his return to floor competition before eventually falling to Jermaine Wattimena in a dramatic deciding leg.

Littler beaten by eventual champion Wattimena

Littler opened his PC27 campaign with a 6-2 victory over Archie Self before defeating Arno Merk and William O’Connor by identical 6-3 scorelines.

That set up a last-16 meeting with Chris Dobey, but what appeared to be one of Littler’s toughest tests of the day instead became his most comfortable victory as he swept Dobey aside 6-0.

Wattimena provided a much tougher challenge in the quarter-finals.

The pair could not be separated across the opening ten legs, taking the contest to a decider before the Dutchman produced a 115 checkout to complete a 6-5 victory and end Littler’s hopes of collecting the £15,000 winner’s prize.

Reaching the quarter-finals instead earned Littler £4,000 towards the Players Championship Order of Merit.

Wattimena went on to prove that defeating the world number one was no one-off performance, eventually lifting the title after beating fellow Dutchman Kevin Doets 8-6 in the final.

Can Luke Littler qualify for the Players Championship Finals?

Qualification for the Players Championship Finals could now represent one of the biggest challenges standing between Littler and a clean sweep of the PDC’s major events.

Only the leading 64 players on the Players Championship Order of Merit qualify for the Finals in Minehead in November, with the projected qualification mark expected to exceed £30,000.

Players Championship events offer £15,000 to the winner, meaning Littler’s £4,000 quarter-final return leaves him needing several strong performances during the remaining tournaments.

His situation is entirely of his own making after deciding not to compete in the opening 26 Players Championship events of the year.

There are seven scheduled floor tournaments remaining after PC27, giving Littler limited opportunities to climb into the top 64.

His next chance comes immediately at Players Championship 28, also staged at Leicester’s Mattioli Arena on Wednesday.

A tournament victory would dramatically strengthen Littler’s position, while another deep run would at least reduce the pressure heading into the remaining events.

Which major titles has Luke Littler won in 2026?

The qualification battle has taken on added significance because of Littler’s remarkable record across the rest of the 2026 season.

The world number one has already won all six of the PDC major titles available to him so far this year:

• PDC World Darts Championship
• Masters
• UK Open
• Premier League
• World Cup of Darts
• World Matchplay

It leaves Littler chasing something no player has previously achieved.

To complete the clean sweep, he would still need to add the World Series of Darts Finals, World Grand Prix, European Championship, Grand Slam of Darts and Players Championship Finals before the end of the season.

Winning the Players Championship Finals, however, is impossible without first securing his place in Minehead, potentially making the remaining floor events just as important as the televised majors in Littler’s pursuit of history.

Wattimena produces stunning run to PC27 title

Littler was not the only player to feel the full force of Wattimena’s brilliant run in Leicester.

The victory gave Wattimena his third PDC ranking title and also moved him back into the world’s top 16 at the expense of Ross Smith.

After surviving the deciding leg against Littler, Wattimena found himself 4-1 behind against Luke Woodhouse in the semi-finals.

He responded spectacularly.

Wattimena won six consecutive legs and produced five ton-plus checkouts during the comeback, taking out 136, 135, 115, 127 and 128 on his way to the final.

He then won six consecutive legs against Doets to establish a commanding 6-2 advantage.

Doets refused to disappear, taking four of the following five legs to cut the deficit and threaten another dramatic turnaround. Wattimena eventually stopped his charge, producing an 11-dart leg on his way to completing an 8-6 victory.

Reflecting on his performance, Wattimena said:

“I played really well today but some games I made difficult for myself.”

The Dutchman also revealed how much confidence he gained from beating Littler.

“I always play really well against Luke to be honest. Even when I lose I play well, and that 115 finish against Luke gave me big confidence.

“I didn’t realise I hit five ton-plus finishes in the semi-final because you’re busy with the game, but I’m very happy with this win.”

Aspinall hits perfection in Leicester

Nathan Aspinall was another of the leading names involved in PC27 and produced one of the standout moments of the tournament.

The Stockport thrower hit a nine-dart finish during his first-round victory over Thibault Tricole.

Aspinall was unable to turn that moment of perfection into a sustained title challenge, though, as Mickey Mansell eliminated him in the third round.

Attention will now turn quickly to the next Players Championship event and, in Littler’s case, another opportunity to collect the prize money he desperately needs.

His major-title record in 2026 remains perfect. If he wants that remarkable sequence to include the Players Championship Finals, however, there is little margin for error across the remaining floor tournaments.

Luke Littler FAQs

How old is Luke Littler?

Luke Littler is 19 years old.

Is Luke Littler world number one?

Yes. Littler is currently the world number one and has established himself as the dominant player on the PDC circuit during 2026.

Which major darts tournaments has Luke Littler won in 2026?

Littler has won the World Championship, Masters, UK Open, Premier League, World Cup of Darts and World Matchplay so far in 2026.

Can Luke Littler still qualify for the Players Championship Finals?

Yes, but he has significant ground to make up. Only the top 64 on the Players Championship Order of Merit qualify, and Littler earned £4,000 from his quarter-final appearance at PC27 after missing the first 26 events.

How much does the winner of a Players Championship event earn?

The winner of each Players Championship tournament receives £15,000 in prize money.

Where are the Players Championship Finals held?

The Players Championship Finals are scheduled to take place in Minehead in November.

Who beat Luke Littler at Players Championship 27?

Jermaine Wattimena defeated Littler 6-5 in a final-leg decider before going on to win the tournament.

Who won Players Championship 27?

Jermaine Wattimena won PC27 after beating Kevin Doets 8-6 in the final. It was his third PDC ranking title.

Can Luke Littler win every PDC major in 2026?

It remains possible. Littler has won every major staged so far in 2026, but still needs the World Series of Darts Finals, World Grand Prix, European Championship, Grand Slam of Darts and Players Championship Finals to complete an unprecedented clean sweep.