Luke Littler set to face stiff competition as he bids for maiden World Masters title in Milton Keynes.
The 2026 PDC season gets underway with the highly-anticipated Winmau World Masters, which will be contested by a talented field of 24 players at Arena MK. Luke Littler, the back-to-back world champion, is looking to claim his first major title after falling just short last year, while defending champion Luke Humphries and World Darts Championship runner-up Gian van Veen are also among those seeking to deny Littler victory.
The tournament's strong field includes several Premier League stars, including Jonny Clayton, Stephen Bunting, Josh Rock, and Gerwyn Price. Gary Anderson and Ryan Searle have also been named pre-qualified players, giving the competition a real edge of excitement.
With a £500,000 prize pot on offer, the stakes are high at this prestigious event. A win would be a significant milestone for Littler, but he faces stiff competition from his rivals, including Humphries and van Veen.
The 2026 World Masters schedule is packed with action, with Preliminary Rounds taking place on January 28 before the main event gets underway on January 29. The tournament will feature a unique best-of-three-legs set format for all matches, which promises to be an intense and thrilling competition.
With so much at stake, only time will tell if Littler can claim his maiden World Masters title or if it will be one of his rivals who takes the trophy home.
The 2026 PDC season gets underway with the highly-anticipated Winmau World Masters, which will be contested by a talented field of 24 players at Arena MK. Luke Littler, the back-to-back world champion, is looking to claim his first major title after falling just short last year, while defending champion Luke Humphries and World Darts Championship runner-up Gian van Veen are also among those seeking to deny Littler victory.
The tournament's strong field includes several Premier League stars, including Jonny Clayton, Stephen Bunting, Josh Rock, and Gerwyn Price. Gary Anderson and Ryan Searle have also been named pre-qualified players, giving the competition a real edge of excitement.
With a £500,000 prize pot on offer, the stakes are high at this prestigious event. A win would be a significant milestone for Littler, but he faces stiff competition from his rivals, including Humphries and van Veen.
The 2026 World Masters schedule is packed with action, with Preliminary Rounds taking place on January 28 before the main event gets underway on January 29. The tournament will feature a unique best-of-three-legs set format for all matches, which promises to be an intense and thrilling competition.
With so much at stake, only time will tell if Littler can claim his maiden World Masters title or if it will be one of his rivals who takes the trophy home.
! With a £500k prize pot and an all-star lineup like Jonny Clayton, Stephen Bunting, and Gerwyn Price, this tournament is gonna be EPIC 
! Luke Littler's got the skills to take it down, but those guys are looking fierce too. I'm not sure who's gonna come out on top, but one thing's for sure - it's gonna be a nail-biter! 
omg u guys idk bout luke littler but i think he's got this!!! 
he's been grinding for like forever and now he's finally in a position where he can really make some noise in the darts world. the competition is gonna be HUUUUGE tho, especially with those premier league stars coming at it... gerwyn price alone is enough to give anyone butterflies 
can't wait to see what happens! 
. I mean, £500k prize pot is a lot, but what's the point? It's just 3 legs per match? What kind of excitement is that? Give me something with real stakes, like AI going rogue or social media being hacked... now that's interesting! 
And don't even get me started on these players and their back-to-back world championships. Who cares about some darts tournament? 
. I think Luke Littler is in for a tough fight, but he's got this! His comeback story has been so inspiring and I love that he's finally getting a chance to win his first major title. The field looks super strong this year though - Humphries and van Veen are both huge threats. And can we talk about the prize pot? £500k is insane 
! Whoever wins it will be basically set for life. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for Littler, but at the same time, I love that there's a lot of competition - makes it so much more exciting to watch!
. And can't forget Jonny Clayton and Gerwyn Price, those guys are always contenders 
. The best-of-three-legs format is gonna be so cool, I'm hyped to watch all these darts battles unfold 
!
does he get dropped out or whats the point of even playing? 
. I'm also loving the new best-of-three-legs format - can't wait to see these darts legends go toe-to-toe 
I need to see some stats on these guys before I start putting my money down on Littler. Where's the data on his practice sessions leading up to this tournament? 
but idk if gian van veen can keep up with those two... he's been crushing it at the world champs tho 
. The £500k prize pot is insane, that just raises the bar even more 
. And can we talk about Gary Anderson being pre-qualified? I'm not sure if the PDC is trying to make him look like the old master or what 
It shows us that success isn't just about individual effort, but also about the people around us who can either boost or dampen our spirits.
I think this is a great lesson for all of us - we need those people who can test us, make us stronger, and bring out the best in us! 
, was really hoping for him to take it home 
! The line-up looks insane with all those Premier League stars, and Luke Littler is due for a major win after coming close last year 
. But let's be real, he's gonna have to take down some heavy hitters like Humphries and van Veen if he wants that title 
. I mean, I get it, the prize pot is huge and all that but come on £500k? That's a lot of cash to be spent on a sport that's basically just throwing a dart around