Luke Littler has issued a notable update about his future schedule after cruising into the second round of the Players Championship Finals.
The 18-year-old World No.1 delivered a dominant 6–1 victory over Jeffrey de Graaf, averaging an impressive 104.46 as he continued his pursuit of a first Players Championship Finals title. It was also the first time he was officially introduced on stage as the top-ranked player in the world.
However, Littler revealed that he is seriously considering skipping all Players Championship events next season, a decision that would see him sit out a major portion of the PDC Pro Tour — and potentially miss out on ranking opportunities, prize money and additional titles.
Littler confirmed that discussions are already taking place behind the scenes as he evaluates his options.
When asked whether he had thought about not playing the Players Championship events next year, he admitted:
“Yeah… the Players Championship Finals is one I’ve not got yet and I definitely want it.”
He then suggested that the outcome of this weekend’s event could influence his decision:
“If I was to win it this weekend, then who knows what happens next year in the Pro Tour.
Do I go to a few or do I not? We’ve been having discussions behind the scenes about whether I just do the ones in Wigan and skip the rest. If I qualify, I qualify — if not, then I don’t. We’ll make that decision privately and let everyone know.”
Should Littler follow through, he would gain around 34 free days throughout the season, giving him valuable time to rest, reset, and manage commitments away from the oche during a year already packed with major events.
Littler recently climbed to World No.1 after defeating Luke Humphries in the Grand Slam of Darts final in Wolverhampton. Reflecting on hearing his new ranking announced for the first time, he said:
“It felt absolutely amazing — probably one of the best feelings I’ve had — to be world champion and world number one at the same time. But there’s more to come.”
Now focused on claiming the one big title missing from his collection, Littler added:
“This is the title I haven’t won yet. Last year I fell short against Luke Humphries, so I want to tick this one off.”
