World Matchplay 2026 Final Breakdown: Littler Demolishes Price 18-9 to Smash Phil Taylor's Records
Luke Littler retained his World Matchplay title in the most emphatic fashion possible — beating Gerwyn Price18-9 in the final while averaging a tournament and match record 111.53. Along the way he hit a nine-darter, set a new record for 180s in a single campaign, and became the first player in darts history to pass £3 million in career PDC ranking earnings. Here's the full breakdown.
The Final: Littler 18-9 Price
There was barely a contest. Luke Littler averaged 111.53 in the final to beat Gerwyn Price18-9 at the Winter Gardens on Sunday — a mark that eclipses Phil Taylor's previous World Matchplay final record of 111.23, set against Adrian Lewis back in 2013. Price, the 2021 world champion and a former Matchplay runner-up himself, simply had no answer, averaging 104.97 in a match that would have won most finals in the tournament's history.
It extended Littler's dominance over Price specifically — his 10th consecutive win against the Welshman — and confirmed him as the fourth player ever to win back-to-back World Matchplay titles, and the first since Michael van Gerwen managed it in 2016.
Records Broken
Final average
111.53
Beats Phil Taylor's 111.23 v Adrian Lewis, 2013
Tournament average
111.04
Beats Phil Taylor's 106.31 from 2010
Highest single-match average
113.68
v Nathan Aspinall, round 2
180s hit across the tournament
66
Beats Littler's own 2025 record of 64
Career PDC ranking earnings
£3,143,500
First player in history past £3 million
Littler averaged over 109.5 in every single match he played across the tournament, peaking at 113.68 in his second-round demolition of Nathan Aspinall — the same match in which he hit a nine-dart finish, checking out with 141 on double 15. It was only the 11th nine-darter in World Matchplay history, and it barely felt like the headline given everything else he produced that week.
The financial milestone matters too: Littler's £225,000 winner's cheque took his career PDC ranking earnings to £3,143,500 — the first player in the sport's history to pass the £3 million mark. At 19, with the 2026 World Championship, World Masters, UK Open, Premier Leagueand World Cup of Darts already on his CV, the Matchplay completes what looks close to a clean sweep of the sport's biggest titles this year.
The warning signs were there from round two onwards. Littler's 113.68 and nine-darter against Aspinall set the tone, before a 109.57 average saw off Josh Rock 16-7 in the quarter-final. In the semi-final he brushed aside Dirk van Duijvenbode17-5, averaging 110.88 to Van Duijvenbode's 92.02 — a gulf that made the eventual final scoreline feel almost inevitable.
Price's run was more of a grind. He edged past Ross Smith 16-12 in the quarter-final averaging 102.78, then beat Gian van Veen 17-10 in the semi-final to reach his first World Matchplay final since his runner-up finish years earlier. It was a solid week's work from the Iceman — just not nearly enough against the version of Littler that turned up on Sunday.
Prize Money
2026 World Matchplay — £1,000,000 Prize Fund
Winner£225,000
Runner-up£125,000
Semi-finalists£65,000
Quarter-finalists£35,000
Second round£22,500
First round£12,500
That prize money feeds directly into the two-year rolling PDC Order of Merit — see how the Order of Merit works for the full picture of how ranking money accumulates. For the fuller story of how the week unfolded, our Day 2 report covers Gary Anderson's 109.96 average and Chris Dobey's nine-missed-match-darts heartbreak from earlier in the tournament — and you can revisit the full World Matchplay event page for dates, format and how qualification worked.
What's Next in Darts
The ProTour resumes almost immediately with Players Championship 19 & 20 on 1-2 August, followed by European Tour 6 on 15-16 August and Players Championship 21 & 22 on 22-23 August. But the next major target on every top player's calendar is the World Grand Prixin Dublin from 5-11 October — the PDC's unique double-in, double-out event, where Littler's remarkable 2026 will face a completely different kind of test.
Luke Littler won the 2026 World Matchplay, beating Gerwyn Price 18-9 in the final at the Winter Gardens, Blackpool, to retain the title he won in 2025.
What records did Luke Littler break at the World Matchplay 2026?
A new final average record of 111.53 (beating Phil Taylor's 111.23 from 2013) and a new tournament average record of 111.04 (beating Taylor's 106.31 from 2010). He also hit 66 180s across the week — his own record, up from 64 in 2025.
Did anyone hit a nine-darter at the World Matchplay 2026?
Yes — Luke Littler, against Nathan Aspinall in round two, checking out 141 on double 15. It was the 11th nine-darter in World Matchplay history.
How much prize money did Luke Littler win?
£225,000 for the title, taking his career PDC ranking earnings past £3 million — the first player in darts history to reach that mark.
Has anyone won back-to-back World Matchplay titles before?
Littler is only the fourth player to do it, and the first since Michael van Gerwen in 2016.
What's the next PDC tournament?
Players Championship 19 & 20 on 1-2 August, then European Tour 6 on 15-16 August. The next major is the World Grand Prix in Dublin, 5-11 October.