With reigning world champion Luke Littler at the helm, interest in the ongoing world championship is growing with each passing day – and it has been that way since he entered the scene.
After losing the final in his debut World Cup in 2024, Luke Littler became the UK's third most searched person on Google - beaten only by the Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton, and US President Donald Trump. When he became the youngest ever World Cup champion a year later, the telecast in England was the country's second most watched sports broadcast of all time outside of football.
One of those who was there when Littler and the darts exploded is former football coach Alexander Axén.
Littler is in a class of his own, says Axén.
The talk is already about whether Littler can become the best of all time.
Phil Taylor won 16 World Cup titles. So he has something to fight for. At the same time, he is only 18 years old. He has a few years to throw, says Axén.
“There is something special about him”
It's not just TV viewers and spectators who have been impressed. 71-year-old audience favorite Paul Lim has been with the show since the 1980s and believes that Littler is unique.
"I don't think there will be anyone like him. He's like Tiger Woods," Lim said at a press conference after his first match in the 2026 World Cup.
But it's not just Littler who attracts the audience.
The atmosphere at Alexandra Palace in London – where the World Cup is being played – is described by Axén as magical. Dressed as everything from elves to presidents, the audience consumes over 500,000 glasses of beer during the 20 match days, according to Sky Sports. Axén compares the atmosphere to what the English top division of football was like in the 1980s.
"You have to be there to understand. There's so much that's fun," he says.
Important with the choice of music
The party in the stands also affects the matches. The more than 3,000 spectators often choose a favorite, and if you are not chosen, you are told about it, Axén describes.
It's a really tough atmosphere. That's why I've told the Swedish players that they have to choose a good presentation song. If there are two neutral players for the audience, the one with the best song will get the audience's sympathy. It's that simple, he says.
There's a reason why Englishman Littler has never won in Germany.
Luke Littler plays his second match at the 2026 World Cup on Sunday. Andreas Harrysson is the only one of three Swedish players who advanced from the first round.
Born: January 21, 2007 (age 18), Warrington, England.
Nickname: “The Nuke”.
World ranking: One.
Presentation song: “Greenlight” by Pitbull.
Biggest achievements: World Cup gold in 2025, second place in the World Cup in 2024, Player of the Year in 2024, Newcomer of the Year in 2024. In total, Littler has won 13 televised competitions in 2024 and 2025.
Recorded money: In the last two years, he has recorded almost two million pounds, equivalent to approximately 25 million Swedish kronor.
Where: Alexandra Palace, London, England.
When: The final will be played on January 3, 2026.
Format: All players, including the seeded players, begin the tournament in the first round. Matches are played in sets, with each set being the best of five legs. The number of sets required to win a match increases as the tournament progresses. In a deciding set, the player must win by two legs, but if the score is 5–5, the match is decided by a deciding leg. The final is played in the best of 13 legs.
Prize money: The winner of the World Cup receives 1 million pounds, equivalent to 12.5 million Swedish kronor.
