Luke Littler survived the real Nathan Aspinall trap in Amsterdam. The world number one trailed, was pushed all the way to a deciding leg and looked far from comfortable for long spells, but still won 10-9 on Saturday night at the 2026 World Series of Darts Finals. That result changes the feel of the tournament: Littler is still chasing his televised clean sweep, but he has already had to dig very deep.
According to the PDC’s official report, Aspinall led 5-3, then moved to the brink at 9-8 with a 78 checkout. Littler answered with a 14-dart hold before breaking in 12 darts in the decider. This is where the tournament gets serious: the favourite is moving on, but Amsterdam has shown he can be hurt.
The boos have changed the story too
The score no longer tells the whole night. According to Sky Sports, Littler threatened to boycott tournaments in the Netherlands if the crowd treatment does not change, after being booed and whistled during his match against Aspinall. The British broadcaster also reports that referee Charlie Costorphine had to intervene as the atmosphere became seriously tense.
This was not just a throwaway line. Littler has already stepped back from some German events because of hostile crowds. In Amsterdam, the issue now goes beyond one match: he is still chasing the title, but the PDC also has a crowd-management signal to monitor around its world number one.
Littler v Clayton is now Sunday’s key test
The next obstacle is Jonny Clayton, who beat Motomu Sakai 10-8 after trailing 6-4. The Welshman is not just making up the numbers here: he has already handled a tense match and knows this tournament, having won it in 2021.
Littler’s own comments set the tone. The 2024 champion admitted Nathan Aspinall had pushed him “all the way”, while warning that Clayton would be “a good test”. After our piece on his rest days before Amsterdam, the question is now more practical: the freshness may be there, but he has to hold up through three matches in one day.
Van Duijvenbode and Van Veen keep the Dutch crowd involved
The night was not only about Littler. Dirk van Duijvenbode knocked out Luke Humphries 10-9 in another high-pressure match, hitting eight 180s and averaging over 101. The PDC also highlighted the emotional edge to his victory, with his son Levi watching from the crowd and then joining him on stage.
On the other side of the draw, Gian van Veen handled the local pressure with a 10-7 win over Karel Sedlacek. Even with the Czech number one averaging 103, Van Veen replied with 160 and 147 finishes and a 101.52 average. Van Duijvenbode v Van Veen gives Sunday a clear Dutch thread, even after Michael van Gerwen’s early exit.
Second-round results
| Match | Score |
|---|---|
| Josh Rock vs Ryan Searle | 10-7 |
| Ross Smith vs Daryl Gurney | 10-5 |
| Gian van Veen vs Karel Sedlacek | 10-7 |
| Dirk van Duijvenbode vs Luke Humphries | 10-9 |
| Jonny Clayton vs Motomu Sakai | 10-8 |
| Gerwyn Price vs Jim Long | 10-5 |
| James Wade vs Wessel Nijman | 10-7 |
| Luke Littler vs Nathan Aspinall | 10-9 |
Finals Day schedule in Amsterdam
The tournament concludes on Sunday, with the quarter-finals in the afternoon followed by the semi-finals and final in the evening. The format is short but sharp: quarter-finals are best of 19 legs, while the semi-finals and final are best of 21. With £100,000 waiting for the winner, the day can matter beyond the World Series trophy itself.
| Session | Fixtures |
|---|---|
| Quarter-finals, 13:00 CEST | Ross Smith vs Josh Rock, Dirk van Duijvenbode vs Gian van Veen, Gerwyn Price vs James Wade, Luke Littler vs Jonny Clayton |
| Semi-finals, 19:00 CEST | Smith/Rock vs Van Duijvenbode/Van Veen, Price/Wade vs Littler/Clayton |
| Final | The two semi-final winners |
Sky Sports is leaning into Littler’s possible clean sweep, and that is the main story. It is not the only one. Price v Wade brings two former champions together, Rock v Smith can open up the draw, and the all-Dutch quarter-final gives the home crowd a clear reason to stay involved.
The Sunday story is simple: Littler is still there, but he no longer has any free margin. If Amsterdam is going to break his run, this is probably the moment.
