After a sensational World Cup
Darts prodigy Luke Littler rises to the star league
January 4, 2024, 5:23 p.m
After the outstanding World Cup, darts prodigy Luke Littler’s soaring continues: It takes the 16-year-old straight into the lucrative Premier League and thus also to Berlin. Bird of paradise Peter Wright is still there despite the World Cup debacle.
Darts super talent Luke Littler has been directly nominated for the Premier League after his spectacular performances at the World Cup in Alexandra Palace and is coming to Berlin in February. The 16-year-old Englishman is part of the eight-man squad for the highly prized league, as the world association PDC announced. The top four in the current world rankings were already seeded: world champion Luke Humphries, former world champion Michael Smith, Nathan Aspinall (all three from England) and the Dutchman Michael van Gerwen.
“I had to win this tonight because Luke will win many of them in the future, I’m sure,” said Champion Humphries late on Wednesday evening after his victory and expressed what many people felt after the exciting and high-class 7:4 in the World Cup final thought: “Luke (Editor’s note: Littler) will soon dominate the darts world. It was my night, but he’s an incredible talent.”
Behind it, the PDC awards four wildcards. In addition to World Cup finalist Littler, these went to the Welsh Gerwyn Price, the Scot Peter Wright and Rob Cross from England for 2024. The eight nominated professionals will be involved in the prestigious tournament for a total of 17 weeks – every Thursday.
The game kicks off on February 1st in Cardiff, Wales. A week later, the evening takes place in Berlin on February 8th. The playoffs final evening is scheduled for May 23rd in London. Only the four best players make it to the British capital. Defending champion is van Gerwen. There has not yet been a permanent German starter in the Premier League. Max Hopp was allowed to take part in Berlin for an evening in 2019.