Luke Littler, the world's number one darts player, has already claimed six major titles in 2026 and stands on the brink of an unprecedented achievement. The Englishman has secured the World Championship, World Masters, UK Open, World Matchplay, Premier League and World Cup, putting him within touching distance of becoming only the third player ever to complete a clean sweep of ranking and non-ranking titles in a single calendar year.
To make history, Littler must now capture five additional crowns before the year concludes. Sky Sports has mapped out his exact route to this landmark feat, which would cement his status as one of darts' greatest talents.
The remaining titles on Littler's agenda
Littler's next challenge arrives this week at the World Series of Darts Finals. According to ESPN, the tournament runs from 17-20 September, with Littler facing Danny Noppert in his opening fixture on Friday. Michael van Gerwen holds the defending champion's crown after defeating Littler 11-7 in Amsterdam last year, though Littler has tasted victory in this competition before, having beaten Michael Smith 11-4 in 2024.
The World Grand Prix follows just over a week later, running from 28 September to 4 October on Sky Sports. Littler will encounter Luke Woodhouse in his first-round tie. The Englishman has previously expressed his discomfort with the tournament's double-in, double-out format, describing it as
one of the toughest tournaments to win, with the Worlds, the Matchplay, [and] the Premier League. Yet that format did not prevent him from delivering a commanding performance in the 2025 final, where he defeated world number two Luke Humphries 6-1.
October will then see Littler travel to Dortmund for the European Championship—the one major title that has eluded him throughout his career. He suffered a 10-7 second-round exit at the hands of James Wade in the 2025 edition. Securing this crown would be particularly significant, as it would mean Littler holds every major darts title simultaneously, something no other player has achieved. Van Gerwen came close in 2016 and 2017 but never captured the World Cup of Darts.
Recent developments have strengthened Littler's hand. According to Sky Sports, Littler won the Czech Darts Open in Prague on 6 September, defeating Luke Humphries 8-6 and securing his place at the European Championship. This victory marked his 30th PDC title of the year and his second European Tour triumph in 2026.
Following the European Championship, Littler must then secure a third consecutive Grand Slam title in Wolverhampton. The final hurdle comes at Minehead, where he will attempt to retain the Players Championship title he won last year by beating Nathan Aspinall 11-8 in the 2025 final. Should he triumph in all five remaining contests, Littler would become the first player in darts history to win every major title within the same calendar year.
The Players Championship qualification challenge
However, Littler faces a significant obstacle in his bid to defend the Players Championship crown. He currently sits 125th on the Players Championship Order of Merit with just £10,500 in prize winnings, and only the top 64 qualify for the finals weekend at Minehead in November.
Shane McGuirk occupies 64th place with £27,500 in winnings, meaning Littler must make up at least £17,500 in prize money with just six Players Championship events remaining on the calendar. According to ESPN, Littler is prioritising rest and needs crucial days off as he manages his demanding schedule while pursuing the clean sweep.
The mathematics are not impossible. Each Players Championship winner receives £15,000, so Littler would likely need to win just one of the six remaining events and accumulate some prize money in the others to secure qualification. He attempted to make significant progress in August when he returned to floor events in Leicester after missing the first 26 Players Championships, but managed only a quarter-final and a semi-final in his two appearances.
With six events still scheduled in Den Bosch and Leicester, Littler retains a realistic chance of making up the deficit. However, time is rapidly running out, and every tournament now carries heightened importance in his quest for history.
The road ahead
Littler's pursuit of the clean sweep has already captured the imagination of the darts world. His World Matchplay victory in July, which included a nine-darter against Nathan Aspinall, was hailed as one of the greatest major campaigns ever witnessed. That triumph set the stage for what could become the most remarkable year in modern darts.
The next few weeks will prove decisive. The World Series of Darts Finals this Friday represents the first real test of his resolve, followed immediately by the gruelling World Grand Prix schedule. Success in those two tournaments would leave him needing just three more titles—the European Championship, Grand Slam and Players Championship—to etch his name into darts folklore.
For now, Littler must focus on the immediate challenge. Danny Noppert awaits on Friday in what could be the opening chapter of one of sport's greatest achievement stories.
