The 2026 Winmau World Masters delivered an unforgettable spectacle, culminating in a dramatic final where Luke Littler, the world number one, edged out world number two Luke Humphries. Both players displayed exceptional form throughout the tournament, with Littler overcoming Gerwyn Price in a nail-biting semi-final, and Humphries dominating Gian van Veen. The final was a true clash of titans, going down to a deciding leg after Humphries mounted an incredible comeback, only for Littler to clinch his maiden Winmau World Masters title.
The Road to the Semi-Finals
The quarter-final stage of the Winmau World Masters 2026 showcased the dominance of the world’s top players. The top three ranked players – Luke Littler, Luke Humphries, and Gian van Veen – largely swept aside their opponents. Both Littler and Humphries didn’t drop a single set, demonstrating their formidable form, while Gian van Veen battled past a resilient James Wade. All three consistently posted impressive three-digit averages, a testament to their high-level play. Adding to the elite lineup, former world champion Gerwyn Price also secured his spot in the semi-finals.
Semi-Final Showdowns
Littler vs. Price: A Deciding Leg Drama
The first semi-final lived up to its billing as a potential classic, pitting Luke Littler against Gerwyn Price. This high-stakes encounter went all the way to a deciding ninth set. Remarkably, all eight preceding sets were won with the darts, meaning each player held serve. Price had a golden opportunity early on, missing a crucial 170 checkout for a break and the first set. Despite this, the match remained incredibly tight.
In the pivotal deciding set, Price, known as “The Iceman,” initially took the lead with a break of throw, finishing in 18 darts. Littler then missed a 122 finish attempt for a re-break. The drama intensified when Price himself missed a match dart on Tops for a 107 finish. Seizing the opportunity, Littler incredibly checked out his remaining 7 points with his last dart on double 2. Price’s subsequent start in the deciding leg was uncharacteristically poor, scoring just 44 and 58 points. This allowed Littler to capitalize, securing his place in the final with a 16-dart leg.
Humphries Dominates van Veen
The second semi-final saw defending champion Luke Humphries, the world number two, face Gian van Veen. Humphries started strongly, taking the first leg in 19 darts. After van Veen missed two crucial checkout darts, “Cool Hand Luke” capitalised, winning the first set in just 11 darts. The second set also went to Humphries without reply. While van Veen managed to claim his first leg in the third set with a spectacular 152 checkout to level at 1-1, Humphries still secured the set, taking a comfortable 3-0 lead into the first break.
Humphries continued his relentless form after the break, claiming the fourth set with 12 and 13-dart legs. In the fifth set, despite conceding an 11-dart break, Humphries immediately broke back with a 12-darter. He then survived two set darts from van Veen on double 8 before clinching the match with his first match dart on Tops, setting up a dream final against Luke Littler.
The Grand Finale: Littler vs. Humphries
The Winmau World Masters final presented a blockbuster showdown: World Number 1 Luke Littler against World Number 2 Luke Humphries. Humphries, carrying a streak of ten consecutive sets won into the final, continued his momentum by taking the first set 2-1 on his own throw. Littler responded fiercely, hitting a stunning 153 checkout. While the second leg went to Humphries due to Littler missing two doubles, Littler broke Humphries’ winning run with a 13-darter to level the match at 1-1. The third set went comfortably to Littler in 11 and 15 darts, and he continued this form after the break. Although Humphries managed a break in the first leg of set four, Littler countered with two consecutive 121 finishes (T20, T7, Tops and 20, T17, Bull) to extend his lead to 3-1.
Then, “Cool Hand Luke” Humphries launched a remarkable comeback. He claimed the fifth set 2-1 in 10 and 14 darts, despite Littler having started the set with a 12-dart break. Humphries’ powerful performance continued into the sixth set, where he capitalised on two missed checkouts from Littler to level the match at 3-3. The seventh and eighth sets were both broken 2-1 by each player respectively, before Humphries, in 15 and 13 darts, took a 5-4 set lead – his first lead since the opening set. However, his lead was short-lived. Littler, with 13 and 12-dart legs, forced the match into a deciding eleventh set. In this ultimate test, Luke Littler held his nerve, securing his inaugural Winmau World Masters title with 15 and 16-dart legs.
Tournament at a Glance
Match Results (Sunday, February 1st, 2026)
- Semi-Finals:
- Luke Littler 5-4 Gerwyn Price (Set scores: 2:1, 1:2, 2:0, 1:2, 2:0, 0:2, 2:0, 0:2, 2:1)
(Averages: Littler 101.56 – Price 99.73) - Luke Humphries 5-0 Gian van Veen (Set scores: 2:0, 2:0, 2:1, 2:0, 2:1)
(Averages: Humphries 107.8 – van Veen 102.93)
- Luke Littler 5-4 Gerwyn Price (Set scores: 2:1, 1:2, 2:0, 1:2, 2:0, 0:2, 2:0, 0:2, 2:1)
- Final:
- Luke Littler 6-5 Luke Humphries (Set scores: 1:2, 2:1, 2:0, 2:1, 1:2, 0:2, 2:1, 1:2, 1:2, 2:0, 2:0)
(Averages: Littler 104.72 – Humphries 105.51)
- Luke Littler 6-5 Luke Humphries (Set scores: 1:2, 2:1, 2:0, 2:1, 1:2, 0:2, 2:1, 1:2, 1:2, 2:0, 2:0)
Tournament Format
The Winmau World Masters follows a set-play format, where each set is played as a “Best of 3 Legs.” The number of sets required to win a match increases throughout the tournament:
- Preliminary Rounds: Best of 5 Sets
- Round 1: Best of 5 Sets
- Round 2: Best of 7 Sets
- Quarter-finals: Best of 7 Sets
- Semi-finals: Best of 9 Sets
- Final: Best of 11 Sets
Prize Money and Ranking Impact
The Winmau World Masters is a significant event on the professional darts calendar, offering substantial prize money and, crucially, valuable ranking points towards the PDC Order of Merit since 2025. This ensures that success at this tournament directly impacts a player’s world ranking and their qualification for other major events. The total prize fund for the tournament is an impressive £500,000, distributed as follows:
- Winner: £100,000
- Runner-Up: £50,000
- Semi-finalists: £30,000
- Quarter-finalists: £17,500
- Last 16: £10,000
- Last 32 (1st Round): £5,000
- Preliminary Round Last 16: £2,500
- Preliminary Round Last 32: £1,000
- Preliminary Round Last 64: £750
Source: Based on an article from dartn.de.
