Despite falling short of winning his first World Darts Championship title, Jan van Veen insists he, Luke Littler and darts’ young stars are ready to take over the sport.
The World Youth Champions’ remarkable run to the Alexandra Palace final ended with a dominant performance from Littler, who became the fourth player to successfully defend his title with a 7-1 win.
Van Veen’s runner-up finish follows his success at the European Championships in October and moves him to a career-high third place in the world, overtaking Michael van Gerwen to become the Netherlands’ highest-ranked player.
The final was a repeat of the 2023 World Youth Championship final and was the latest installment in the escalating rivalry between the two young stars, but Van Veen was confident the new wave of players could enjoy continued success.
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Littler and Van Veen talk about new rivalry after meeting in World Championship final
“The two of us (Van Veen and Littler), along with Josh Locke and Wessel Nyman, the young boys are here,” Van Veen told Sky Sports. “We’re trying to take over the (old) guard.
“He (Littler) has made it this far. Even Luke Humphries is a young player. This game is for young players and we’re here to show them how it’s done.”
Littler’s win over Van Veen gives him a 4-3 lead over the Dutchman in head-to-head competition at PDC events, while Van Veen’s rise to the top four in the world ensures a Premier League debut and further showdowns with the teenager.
“We always compete on the Pro Tour, the Euro Tour, the Majors, everything!” Littler added.
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Van Veen explained why he had to change the board during the World Championship final
“Obviously he’s number three in the world right now and if he stays there and I stay number one, he could be back here in the finals again in 2027 – you never know!”
“We’re going to play a lot and he knows he’s in the Premier League so we’re going to fight week in and week out.”
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Van Veen reacts to losing in the final and praises Littler’s performance
Van Veen: I didn’t give Luke the game!
Littler, who averaged 106.02 points and had the highest score of 16 in the final, bounced back from losing the first set to take the next set in the deciding final leg and then won 15 of the next 17 legs for a commanding victory.
Despite averaging just under 100 points and finishing with more than four tons, Van Veen admitted, “Tonight’s scoring wasn’t my best game of the tournament.” “In the last few games we took every chance we had, but today we didn’t.
“Luke wasn’t willing to give me any more chances. He played phenomenal. He put pressure on me every leg, every set and I missed too many chances to get into the match.
“He (Littler) is a great player. That’s why he’s number one in the world by a wide margin right now, that’s why I said he’s a back-to-back world champion.
“I wanted to lift the title, but I wanted to give Luke the fight, and I just couldn’t do that. I lost too much footing when I got involved, and I missed too many opportunities.
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Wayne Mardle reflects on Littler’s back-to-back World Darts Championships: “You never know when it’s going to end, which is why it’s so special.”
“But I’m very proud to be back in this tournament and to have made it to the final. I’m currently No. 3 in the world and No. 1 in the Netherlands, so I’m very proud of myself, but obviously I’m disappointed with today’s result.”
Will there be more to come from Van Veen?
Van Veen described the past 12 months as the best of his darts career, several years after suffering dartus, a condition that affects the release of darts, and previously doubting his future in darts.
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Van Veen had a great finish in the second set of the World Championship final, but still ended up losing the set to Littler.
“This is just the beginning for the giants,” former world champion Mark Webster told Sky Sports. “He’ll be disappointed (with the runner-up finish), but he’s played well.
“He hasn’t won in his last two attempts at Alexandra Palace, but now he’s reached the final. He’s achieved a lot.
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A look at Van Veen’s reaction from the Alexandra Palace crowd ahead of the World Championship final
“He’s going to be playing more darts this year so he’s going to have different challenges. He’s a hungry player so he’s going to have to manage his schedule and he’s going to enjoy it.”
What’s next?
Van Veen and Littler join Humphries and Michael van Gerwen as one of four automatic players selected for the 2026 Premier League season, with the names of the remaining four set to be announced on Monday afternoon.
The announcement will be broadcast live on Sky Sports News at 3.30pm, with the eight-a-side competition format remaining unchanged this season. The opening game will take place in Newcastle on February 5th and will be broadcast live weekly on Sky Sports. Stream darts and other top sports now.
