After 127 games and three and a half weeks of darting drama, the Paddy Power World Darts Championship Final is upon us.

All the sacrifice. All the determination. Every high and low. It has all been to make it to this game, the biggest one of the year.

It’s also the last World Darts Championship match to take place in Alexandra Palace’s West Hall, before the event moves to the Great Hall next time around, where the capacity doubles.

The last time the tournament moved venues was 2007, from the Circus Tavern in Purfleet to it’s spiritual home for the last two decades. The final Worlds match there was a showdown between an Englishman and a Dutchman. How coincidental, then, that 20 years on, it’s the same this time around.

Littler bidding for yet more history

Before a dart was thrown, 18 year old Luke Littler was odds on favourite to become the first player since Gary Anderson to successfully defend the World Darts Championship.

The Nuke picked up a staggering five TV titles in 2025, including the UK Open in March, the World Matchplay in July, and three of the last four majors in the World Grand Prix, Grand Slam and Players Championship Finals. Now, he is looking to cap off an unbelievable season by retaining the biggest prize of all.

Littler’s progress through the tournament has been extremely serene. He was barely tested in the first three rounds, beating Darius Labanauskas, David Davies and Mensur Suljovic without dropping a set. His toughest assignment came against Rob Cross in the last 16, but came through 4-2 despite a hostile reaction from the Ally Pally crowd.

He then produced another clean sweep against Krzysztof Ratajski in the quarter finals with a 5-0 win, and despite dropping the opening set to Ryan Searle, won his semi final 6-1.

The Nuke has never failed to make the final since his stunning debut in 2024, and he’s into his third straight this time around. His tournament stats are astonishing, with a 103.44 tournament average, and 57 180s.

After defeating Michael van Gerwen 7-3 12 months ago, Littler, who now ridiculously has over £2 million ranking money on the main Order of Merit, aims to enter the conversation of darting greats by doing something only three have done before him.

Van Veen aims to take Dutch darting king crown

Standing in his way in this World Darts Championship Final is another Dutchman, in the shape of 23 year old Gian van Veen.

The Giant, who is the back to back World Youth Champion, is the only player not named Luke to win a TV ranking major this year, when he defeated Luke Humphries to claim his first big title at the European Championship in a last leg decider.

Van Veen also has made smooth progress to his maiden World final. He beat Cristo Reyes, Alan Soutar and Madars Razma to reach the last 16, dropping a set in each of those games.

A 4-1 win over debutant Charlie Manby followed, before the Dutchman beat Humphries again, this time 5-1 to move into the last four. He then saw off two time World Champion Anderson 6-3 in a semi final littered in quality.

Van Veen will end the tournament world number three at worst, taking the title of Dutch number one from van Gerwen and guaranteeing him a spot in the Premier League for the first time. Now, he is aiming to take away the title of Dutch darts king from van Gerwen, and become the third player from his country to win the event.

“This final is the start of another new era”

There are so many other weird coincidences to that final in 2007 mentioned earlier.

Phil Taylor and Raymond van Barneveld played arguably the greatest darts match ever, when Barney came from 3-0 down to beat Taylor 7-6 and cap off his greatest ever year.

As well as being the last final at the Tavern, that match was the last that the great Phil Jones MCed. This one is the last match the legendary John McDonald MCs, and the incredible George Noble referees. What a game to go out on.

While it didn’t work out like this, when Barney won, it felt like the start of a new era in darts. He was someone who could finally challenge Taylor, and it ushered in a period of growth for the PDC that hasn’t stopped.

This final is the start of another new era. As well as moving rooms at the Palace, the winner takes home £1 million, an unthinkable amount even three years ago.

It’s also the fourth year in a row that two former World Youth Championship finalists will play in the showpiece match, showing vindication to the system that the PDC set up over 15 years ago.

Littler and van Veen met in the 2023 World Youth Final, producing a game for the ages, and made people want more than just the 10 legs played, as The Nuke came out on top 6-4.

The two also met in round one of the World Grand Prix this year, and while Littler won 2-0, The Giant produced the highest losing average in round one history.

In their head to head meetings in 2025, it’s van Veen who leads 3-2, beating him in a Pro Tour match and two European Tour games. Littler though has won both their matches on TV, at the World Grand Prix, and the quarter finals of the UK Open.

The two of them have set the standard for young, up and coming talents both in their own countries and the PDC. How fitting it is then, that we get a matchup between the pair, for the Sid Waddell Trophy.

Taylor and Barney served up a 13 set thriller to signal the start of the previous era. If Littler and van Veen can do the same tonight to launch a new one, we could have a new greatest ever World Darts Championship Final. Enjoy every second of it, as it gets underway at 20.00 GMT.