‘Says it all’ – Luke Littler hints Michael van Gerwen is ‘scared’ of falling behind in rankings amid £1m World Darts Championship

Luke Littler has questioned if Michael van Gerwen is worried about a potentially unassailable lead being built in the world rankings.

The upcoming PDC World Darts Championship has a record £5million prize fund, with £1m being awarded to the winner.

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It means the 2025/26 champion would be given a significant boost to their positioning in the PDC Order of Merit rankings.

They are currently calculated on prize money won across a two-year period in ranking tournaments, with Littler top on £1,970,500.

Luke Humphries is second with £1,572,000 and ahead of Van Gerwen, who has £681,250 and called for a change to the ranking system.

Speaking via Darts Now, the Dutchman was asked if a £1m prize fund for the World Championship winner gives it even more importance.

“We all know the Worlds is the most important one, but it’s not in comparison anymore,” he said.

“If you ask me, my honest opinion, that’s the… They should have a points system. I say it every year, but I’m not the organisation.”

“Maybe it’s a question you need to ask the PDC then, if they might change things,” he added on potential conversations over a change.

Littler was later asked about Van Gerwen’s comments, and replied: “If the PDC do that, then they’ve got to sit down for months and months and talk about how it works, and stuff like that.

“Are they doing that behind the scenes? I don’t know. Obviously if people want it changing, then… Would they change it? That’s up to the PDC, but as far as it goes, I think it should continue.

“Because if Michael wanted it to change, then is he confident about picking this up? Is he scared of me or Luke going a million, two million ahead of him in the rankings? We don’t know.”

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When questioned on whether or not Van Gerwen might be scared of such a sizeable lead being built, Littler said “I mean, I don’t know, it’s Van Gerwen we’re talking about. He’s won this plenty of times.

“But if he’s talking about changing the ranking system while this is around the corner, there’s a million quid on the line, that says it all.”

Should reigning champion Littler win the World Championship, he would dramatically increase his lead with the £1m prize fund.

It would cap off another incredible year for the 18-year-old, and will arrive off the back of his Players Championship Finals victory.

When is the World Darts Championship?

The coveted year-end tournament will begin on December 11 and run until January 3 at Alexandra Palace in north London.

Littler will feature on the opening night when he takes on Darius Labanauskas in their first round clash.

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World no. 2 Humphries, who won in 2024, opens his campaign two days later in the evening session against Ted Evetts.

Three-time world champion Van Gerwen plays in one of the later first round ties against Mitsuhiko Tatsunami on December 18.

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