“That wasn’t a nice environment… We should celebrate him, not whistle at him” – Luke Humphries admits he’s unsure Luke Littler will return to Germany after crowd abuse
Luke Humphries, the World No. 1 darts player, has expressed uncertainty about whether his England teammate Luke Littler will return to Germany for future tournaments following a hostile reception at the 2025 World Cup of Darts in Frankfurt. Speaking to *Online Darts* after their shock 8-4 second-round loss to Germany’s Martin Schindler and Ricardo Pietreczko on June 14, Humphries said, “That wasn’t a nice environment for him. I don’t think he enjoyed it… We should celebrate him, not whistle at him,” addressing the crowd’s booing and whistling directed at Littler, per *dartsnews.com*.[](https://dartsnews.com/pdc/that-wasnt-a-nice-environment-we-should-celebrate-him-not-whistle-at-him-luke-humphries-admits-hes-unsure-luke-littler-will-return-to-germany-after-crowd-abuse)
Littler, the 18-year-old PDC World Champion, has faced persistent crowd hostility in Germany, including during a semi-final loss to Gian van Veen at the German Darts Grand Prix in Munich and a defeat to Peter Wright in Hildesheim in 2024, prompting him to consider boycotting German events, per *Daily Star*. Humphries, who vowed to support Littler by urging him to “focus on your game” before their match, noted the teenager’s visible discomfort in Frankfurt’s Eissporthalle, where the partisan crowd propelled Germany to victory, per *The Independent*. Their combined average of 93.43 and poor doubles accuracy (4/11) reflected the pressure, with Littler appearing “fuming” as he left the stage, per *Daily Mail*.[](https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/darts/luke-littler-world-cup-darts-35381389)[](https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/luke-humphries-english-germany-frankfurt-england-b2767426.html)[](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/darts/article-14812997/Luke-Littler-Luke-Humphries-World-Cup-Darts-exit.html)
Humphries dismissed claims of poor team chemistry, as suggested by Gerwyn Price, who implied England’s lack of unity contributed to their defeat, per *Metro News*. “All that stuff about us not being a team was not true,” Humphries said, emphasizing their strong off-stage relationship despite the loss. He also hit back at darts legend Dennis Priestley’s claim that they “let their country down,” calling it “damaging” on X, a sentiment Littler echoed in a deleted Instagram post, per *The Mirror*. Schindler, while acknowledging the crowd’s impact, distanced himself from the booing, saying, “We don’t approve the whistling, but we still need to perform,” per *Sky Sports*.[](https://metro.co.uk/2025/06/26/luke-humphries-fires-back-criticism-luke-littler-partnership-23512748/)[](https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/other-sports/darts/luke-humphries-luke-littler-priestley-35425687)[](https://www.skysports.com/darts/news/12040/13383669/world-cup-of-darts-favourites-luke-littler-and-luke-humphries-stunned-by-germany)
As Littler and Humphries compete at the US Darts Masters in New York on June 27–28, Humphries hopes to move past the controversy, but Littler’s reluctance to return to Germany—potentially skipping Euro Tour events like the Baltic Sea Open—remains uncertain, per *dartsnews.com*. Fans on X, like @DartsNews02, continue to debate the crowd’s behavior, with some urging Littler to channel the hostility into motivation, as he aims for glory at Madison Square Garden.[](https://dartsnews.com/pdc/that-wasnt-a-nice-environment-we-should-celebrate-him-not-whistle-at-him-luke-humphries-admits-hes-unsure-luke-littler-will-return-to-germany-after-crowd-abuse)
