Luke Littler, the 18-year-old PDC World Champion, decided to boycott the European Darts Grand Prix in Germany, held from May 2–4, 2025, in Sindelfingen, becoming the only top-20 player absent from the event. The following reasons explain his decision, based on available information:
- Hostile Reception from German Crowds
Littler faced repeated booing and jeering from German audiences during recent events, which significantly impacted his experience. At the Premier League night in Berlin on April 3, 2025, he was booed during his 6-2 quarter-final loss to Chris Dobey, prompting him to gesture at the crowd, per GB News. Similarly, at the German Darts Grand Prix in Munich on April 21, 2025, he was jeered during his 7-4 semi-final defeat to Gian van Veen, with the crowd cheering Van Veen’s comeback, per Daily Mail. Littler expressed frustration on Instagram, stating, “Shouldn’t have been in Munich but had to play anyway. Next one in Germany for me is Dortmund [in October],” indicating his intent to avoid German events until the European Championship, per Daily Mail. - Psychological Impact of Crowd Hostility
The relentless booing, described as “constant whistling and booing” by darts commentator Rudy Lanssens, left Littler “completely rattled,” per GB News. Belgian darts legend Erik Clarys warned of the psychological toll on young players, noting, “You can’t imagine the effect something like this has on young players. It gets into your head,” per GB News. Littler himself admitted to a “headloss moment” in Berlin, saying, “I just don’t get it, and I can’t explain it,” and recalled a similar loss in Hildesheim in 2024 due to crowd disruption, per GB News. This cumulative effect likely contributed to his decision to skip the European Tour event. - Perceived Anti-English Sentiment
Littler suggested the booing stemmed from his English nationality, stating, “Me and Luke Humphries, we get it quite a lot. Obviously, the Germans mustn’t like us English!” in an interview with Oche180, per GB News. This perception was reinforced by consistent hostile receptions across multiple German venues, including Berlin, Munich, and Hildesheim, which he contrasted with the hero worship he receives in the UK, per Reddit. - Scheduling Conflicts as a Partial Factor
While Littler’s social media post emphasized crowd hostility, Sky Sports commentator Stuart Pyke claimed the withdrawal from the European Darts Grand Prix was due to scheduling issues, stating, “The reason he pulled out of the event this week is scheduling. Nothing more, nothing less. He got a bit emotional,” per Sky Sports. However, Littler’s explicit vow to avoid Germany until October suggests crowd treatment was the primary driver, with scheduling possibly serving as a convenient excuse or secondary factor, per The Independent. - Strategic Career Management
Littler’s manager, Martin Foulds, noted that his early 2025 successes, including the PDC World Championship and UK Open titles, secured his spot in most major TV events, reducing the need to compete in every tournament, per GB News. Skipping the European Darts Grand Prix allowed Littler to prioritize mental well-being and high-profile events like the Premier League, where he set a record with five nightly wins, per Sky Sports. This strategic choice aligns with his focus on the World Cup of Darts (June 12–15, 2025), which he confirmed he would attend despite his boycott, per The Mirror.
Context and Clarifications
Littler’s boycott initially raised concerns about missing the World Cup of Darts in Frankfurt, but he clarified his participation, telling SPORTbible, “Yeah one hundred per cent I will do it,” citing his and Humphries’ status as England’s top-ranked players, per SPORTbible. His decision to compete in the World Cup, despite ongoing crowd issues (evident in England’s 8-4 loss to Germany on June 14, 2025), suggests the boycott was specific to non-essential European Tour events, per Daily Mail. Posts on X, such as @DartsNews02 on June 18, 2025, confirmed Littler’s continued absence from the Baltic Sea Darts Open in Germany, reinforcing his stance, per.
