Gian van Veen explains freak injury that led to blood smeared on World Championship final board

Gian van Veen revealed he cut his finger on a door backstage and that led to blood being smeared on the Ally Pally dartboard.

The World Championship final had to be briefly paused after the sixth set when a speck of blood was seen on the five segment on the board.

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Referee George Noble asked for the board to be changed for a new one, with van Veen’s final rival Luke Littler confused about what was happening.

Dutchman Van Veen, who was beaten 7-1 by Littler in Saturday’s final, confirmed it was his blood.

Speaking in his press conference after the match, he said: “Yeah it was [unusual], Luke said it to me as well, like what’s happening?

“It was in the break and my left pinky, it hit the door of the toilet. I went to the toilet, I got stuck with my left pinky on the door. So I ripped it open and then my pinky hit the board.

“So there was some blood on the board and the PDC wanted to change that board. 

“Luke was like what’s happening? So I explained it to him and stuff like that, but it was all good.

“As you say it’s not really usual of course.”

Littler secured the £1m prize with a thumping victory over Van Veen in his second straight title, confirming his status as the king of the Ally Pally.

The 23-year-old beat former champions Luke Humphries and Anderson en route to the final but this was a match too far against a relentless Littler.

What did Van Veen say?

Still, he is looking forward to 2026, which will see him as the new world number three, earning a debut spot in the Premier League.

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“2025 has been the best year in my career, the best year of my life so far, with everything that’s happened, it’s been fantastic,” Van Veen said. “Hopefully, 2026 is going to be as good a year, but it’s difficult to top 2025.

“I’m already looking forward to it. I’m going to enjoy every single minute of it, because you don’t know if it’s going to be the first or last time, or maybe many more years to come.

“I’m going to enjoy every single minute of it.”

What did Luke Littler say?

Littler has now won two world titles, with only Phil Taylor and Michael van Gerwen claiming more.

Whether he will be able to match Taylor’s 16 world titles remains to be seen, but Littler has the appetite for it.

“It’s so far away. Yeah, 14 to go. Another 15, 16, years, I’d say and I’ll start thinking about it,” he said.

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“If it happens, it happens. I’ll be around for a very long time and I’m here to win.

“It’s something any darts player could do, myself, being so young and already picking up two of these.

“Who knows if I could reach it. If I get five or six, I’ll be happy.

“I think I could if I stay around for long enough, keep the hunger.

“Once the hunger goes, there’s no point playing. But there’s a lot of hunger left inside of me.”