Luke Littler is gearing up for his inaugural defense of the PDC World Darts Championship against Darius Labanauskas at Alexandra Palace next month. The draw for the tournament was conducted on Monday afternoon.
Littler, who clinched the 2025 world championship title by defeating Michael van Gerwen at Ally Pally in January, has since claimed victories in the UK Open, World Matchplay, World Grand Prix, Grand Slam of Darts, and Players Championship, among other accolades.
Having recently ascended to the top spot in the world rankings, surpassing Luke Humphries, the 18-year-old sensation is in top form as he prepares to defend his championship title.
In the first round of the upcoming 128-player tournament, Littler, also known as ‘The Nuke,’ will face off against Lithuanian No.1 Labanauskas, who hails from Warrington.
Other notable first-round matchups include Luke Humphries against Ted Evetts, Michael van Gerwen against Mitsohiko Tatsunami, and Beau Greaves taking on Daryl Gurney.
The full list of 64 first-round ties for the 2026 PDC World Championship includes matchups like Mario Vandenbogaerde versus David Davies, Joe Cullen versus Bradley Brooks, and Mensur Suljovic versus David Cameron. Fans can expect an exciting tournament ahead.