The 2025 Grand Slam of Darts final felt like a preview of what we might see again at the World Championship in early 2026: Luke Humphries vs Luke Littler. The two dominant forces in modern darts stepped on stage once more, and once again it was the 18-year-old prodigy who stole the show. Littler produced another exceptional performance, retained his title, and climbed to the top of the world rankings, overtaking Humphries in the process. The big question now: who can realistically stop this phenomenon from defending his world crown in a few weeks?

This latest chapter in their rivalry marked the sixth major final between Humphries and Littler in the last two years. If anything proves who rules the sport right now, it is the simple fact that these two keep meeting on the biggest stages.

Humphries had held the world No.1 spot since his 2024 World Championship triumph, while Littler has spent the last year storming through the rankings at record pace. After this Grand Slam, the shift is complete. Littler becomes the youngest world No.1 in PDC history at just 18 – smashing Michael van Gerwen’s previous record from 2014 when the Dutchman reached the top at 24.

The final itself delivered exactly what fans expected: intensity, drama, and world-class darts from the first throw. After five legs, both players averaged over 107, and the match remained tight deep into the contest. But at 9–9 Littler shifted gears, sweeping three consecutive legs to move 12–9 ahead. Humphries fought hard, but the teenager never loosened his grip, eventually sealing a 16–11 victory.

For the second straight year, Luke Littler lifts the Grand Slam trophy and now stands proudly as the new world No.1.