Littler beats Humphries 11-10 to reclaim Premier League crown
Littler beat Humphries 11-10 in a 111-average final at The O2, reclaiming the Premier League and completing a third straight title match between the rivals.
Luke Littler turned a tense final into a statement of succession, edging Luke Humphries 11-10 at The O2 in London to reclaim the BetMGM Premier League and deepen the sense that darts now has a new dominant force. The 18-year-old produced a 111 average in one of the competition’s most dramatic finals, sealing his second Premier League crown and taking the £350,000 top prize.
The finish was only the headline. Littler and Humphries arrived at Finals Night after surviving last-leg semi-finals, with Littler beating Gerwyn Price 10-9 and Humphries overcoming Jonny Clayton by the same scoreline. That meant all 59 possible legs across the two semi-finals and the final were played, a rare night of sustained pressure that left no room for drift at the season-ending showpiece.
This was the third straight Premier League final between the two Lukes, and the balance has now swung again. Littler won the 2024 final, Humphries struck back in 2025 with an 11-8 victory, and Littler reclaimed the trophy in 2026. Humphries, who earned £170,000 as runner-up, had arrived as defending champion and spent much of the season chasing another place at the top table, while Littler had already booked his O2 berth with five nightly victories.
The structure of the 22nd edition of the Premier League framed the contest as a true test of endurance. Eight of the world’s top players contested 17 league nights from 5 February to 28 May 2026, with the top four advancing to Finals Night. Each league match was best of 11 legs, the semi-finals were best of 19, and the final stretched to best of 21, a format that rewards both consistency and nerve over four months.
Littler’s victory also carried broader significance beyond the silverware. It lifted his total to eight major titles and underlined his status as world number one, reinforcing the case that the sport’s most bankable star is also its most explosive young champion. Humphries has been the standard-bearer for the established order, but at The O2, Littler again made clear that darts’ competitive hierarchy is being rewritten in real time.
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