Luke Littler delivered a dominant performance at Alexandra Palace to book his place in the semi-finals of the PDC World Darts Championship, while second seed Luke Humphries was sensationally knocked out by Dutch rising star Gian van Veen.

The 18-year-old defending champion, who had faced mixed reactions from the crowd earlier in the tournament, received an overwhelmingly positive response as he cruised to a commanding 5-0 victory over Poland’s Krzysztof Ratajski. Littler now sets up an all-English semi-final clash with Ryan Searle as he continues his quest to defend his world title in London.

Littler Wins Over the Ally Pally Crowd in Emphatic Display

After the controversy surrounding crowd boos during his previous win against Rob Cross, Littler appeared determined to let his darts do the talking. While a small number of boos were heard during his walk-on, they were quickly drowned out by loud chants and supporters singing along to his entrance music.

The atmosphere turned electric when Littler produced a stunning 170 checkout to seal the opening set. From that moment on, the teenager was unstoppable, winning 12 of the next 15 legs to completely overwhelm Ratajski.

Speaking after the match, Littler praised the crowd and reflected on his growing mental resilience.

“As soon as I got on stage the crowd were absolutely unbelievable,” he said. “I clapped everyone so they knew I wanted them on my side again. They were with me tonight and I got the job done.”

He also admitted that the earlier match against Rob Cross had tested him mentally but believes it will help him handle similar situations in the future as his career develops.

Gian van Veen Shocks Humphries to Continue Rapid Rise

The night’s biggest surprise came as Gian van Veen produced a sensational performance to knock out Luke Humphries, who many had tipped as Littler’s main rival for the 2026 title.

The 23-year-old Dutchman, seeded 10th, delivered a 5-1 victory while averaging an impressive 105. Van Veen has now beaten Humphries in three major televised tournaments during 2025, including the European Championship final in October, underlining his status as one of darts’ fastest-rising stars.

With this win, Van Veen climbs provisionally to third in the PDC world rankings, overtaking fellow Dutchman Michael van Gerwen and becoming the highest-ranked player from the Netherlands.

“I’m so over the moon,” Van Veen told Sky Sports. “I said before that the European Championship final was the biggest win of my career — but now, this probably is.”

Van Veen will face two-time world champion Gary Anderson in the other semi-final.

Ryan Searle Reaches First World Championship Semi-Final

Ryan Searle continued his impressive run at Alexandra Palace by defeating Jonny Clayton 5-2 to reach his first-ever World Championship semi-final.

Searle had already won 14 consecutive sets coming into the quarter-final and extended that streak to 17 with a clinical display of finishing. A crucial 111 checkout in the deciding leg of the fifth set proved pivotal as Clayton struggled on the doubles.

Despite outscoring Searle for large portions of the match, Clayton converted only 10 of 40 attempts at doubles, while Searle landed an impressive 17 from 30.

The 38-year-old Englishman, who lives with dominant optic atrophy — a genetic eye condition affecting his vision — said he hopes his journey can inspire others.

“I can’t see particularly well,” Searle explained. “If people feel something is holding them back, I want to show them that you can still achieve things.”

Gary Anderson Ends Hood’s Fairy-Tale Run

Veteran Gary Anderson rolled back the years to end debutant Justin Hood’s remarkable World Championship run. After sharing the opening four sets, the 55-year-old Scot shifted into top gear, winning nine of the next 10 legs to secure a 5-2 victory.

Hood, a popular crowd favourite on his Alexandra Palace debut, leaves the tournament with £100,000 in prize money and a jump from 86th to 50th in the PDC rankings. He has also revealed plans to invest part of his earnings into opening a Chinese restaurant.

PDC World Championship Semi-Final Line-Up Confirmed

The semi-finals will be played on 2 January, with matches contested over a best-of-11-sets format.

Semi-final draw:

• Luke Littler vs Ryan Searle
• Gian van Veen vs Gary Anderson

With Littler’s confidence soaring, Van Veen’s rapid ascent continuing, and Anderson’s experience still proving invaluable, the stage is set for an enthralling conclusion to the PDC World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace.