DISCUSSION | Czech Darts Open 2026: Darts fans want Littler, Humphries, Van Gerwen and Price – so why are they unhappy when they dominate?

Is darts becoming too predictable and does it have a dilemma as the European Tour came to town this weekend at the Czech Darts Open in Prague with a final lauded in Luke Littler v Luke Humphries. But is it an issue that the leading duo appearing on the European Tour together for the first time in months leads to the usual which some fans are getting bored of?

Also the fact that in reality, the European Tour has been great for months perhaps due to the big names deciding to skip it and the lack of accountability also for those who decide not to bother. E.g Luke Littler has not played in Germany unless he is forced to.

But with excellence from Beau Greaves also, it perhaps highlights in today's discussion that while the jury is out on the big stars, the stories stretch further than those at the top of the darting pyramid.

Nicolas Gayer, Editor for DartsNews.DE highlights the key issue with the European Tour and the dilemma that now faces the sport with big names deciding to skip events and the qualification system becoming tiresome vs it being stale when they do play.

In my opinion, the 2026 Czech Darts Open perfectly highlighted the dilemma that many darts fans — and perhaps even the sport as a whole — currently find themselves facing.

This season, it has almost become the norm for European Tour events to take place without a significant number of the world’s top players. Time and again, the biggest names are withdrawing from tournaments in an attempt to manage an increasingly demanding schedule.

Some fans take issue with that, arguing that the absence of the sport’s biggest stars devalues these events. Others enjoy the variety and the opportunity to see fresh faces making their way into the latter stages of tournaments. At the same time, there is also a sizeable section of the darts community that is fundamentally unhappy with the European Tour qualification system — regardless of which players ultimately decide to compete.

The 2026 Czech Darts Open was a perfect reflection of that debate. Social media made it clear that there is currently a certain level of frustration within the darts community. Some fans were delighted by a star-studded semi-final line-up featuring world champions Luke Littler, Luke Humphries, Michael van Gerwen and Gerwyn Price, while others were frustrated by just how predictable the tournament had become.

After this weekend in Prague, however, there is probably one thing everyone can agree on: from a purely sporting perspective, this event delivered. We saw plenty of matches played at an outstanding level, while several of the game’s biggest stars appear to be hitting form just in time for the most important months of the year.

Samuel Gill, Head Editor for DartsNews.com agrees with Nicolas' point re the big names.

"For me ultimately I agree with Nicolas' take re the big names. For me the European Tour is honestly at its best when we have stories like Ross Smith and Gary Anderson last week (both big names but not ones who skip tournaments).

"Sure it is great to have Littler and co back at it, but I think darts does need a widescale change. Whether that is the European Tour where for some reason they get backdoor entry and then don't play down to World Series or Premier League.

"When like me you report on darts all year round, I've seen Littler v Humphries more than I've seen family members at times this year. It is not a fun tie anymore and often Littler wins anyway. So while it might get lauded by a certain section, it highlights that either they need to be forced to play or we need something different. The event delivered sure but also it perhaps is a real barometer as to where the sport has gone to in being both at it speak and stale."

Pieter Verbeek, Editor for DartsNieuws.com sees it differently in that it was refreshing to see the big names back.

"It was certainly refreshing to see virtually all of the world’s biggest names back in action on the European Tour for once. And, to be fair, almost all of them lived up to expectations. Luke Littler, Michael van Gerwen, Luke Humphries and Gerwyn Price making up the semi-final line-up — that would not have looked out of place at the World Championship.

"For Van Gerwen in particular, reaching the semi-finals was a welcome result. After battling past Mario Vandenbogaerde, ‘Mighty Mike’ produced impressive performances against Wessel Nijman and Jonny Clayton, although his level dropped considerably when he averaged just 83 against Luke Littler in the semi-finals. Nevertheless, a run to the last four should give Van Gerwen some confidence heading into the crucial autumn period, with the Dutchman having a significant amount of prize money to defend at the World Darts Championship in particular.

"In the end, it was none other than Littler who lifted the trophy in Prague. It was only his third European Tour appearance of the season, yet he has already collected two European Tour titles in 2026 following his earlier triumph in Poland. It was yet another indication that ‘The Nuke’s’ hunger for silverware is far from satisfied this season."

Mats Leering, Editor for DartsNieuws.com also saw it as good due to the high level of the field in Prague assembled.

"As I predicted, Luke Littler’s return to the European Tour immediately delivered another final between the two Lukes, with the reigning world champion once again coming out on top, just as expected.

"The tournament as a whole, however, was played at an exceptionally high level, helped in no small part by the sheer number of big names in the field. Michael van Gerwen also enjoyed a much-needed deep run, picking up impressive victories over Wessel Nijman and Jonny Clayton before eventually seeing his challenge ended by Littler in the semi-finals.

"Beau Greaves also made history, becoming the first woman ever to win a match on the European Tour. Her run came to an end in the second round against Luke Humphries, but with an average of close to 100, she once again showed that she is more than capable of competing with the very best in the game."

Lucas Michael, Editor for DartsNews.com saw other storylines other than the two Luke's and came to the conclusion also that Humphries would've won again if Littler didn't.

"Every top player aside from James Wade competed in the Czech Darts Open. It only makes sense that the final would be competed between Luke Littler and Luke Humphries who both coincidentally had 29 PDC titles apiece before a dart was thrown. Obviously, that changed in the way of the two-time world champion whose sensational form prolongs.

"If Littler did not exist, Humphries may have been crowned the king of Prague with the amount of success he has/would have had in this city. However, his troubles defeating ‘The Nuke’ on the big stage showcase itself once more. He may be the best of the rest, but when Littler is competing that mostly ends in a runner-up trophy.

"In that final, they were averaging basically the same throughout, whether that was 88 or 94. Despite the parity, the scoreboard stated a Littler lead. Bad news for Humphries, who at his absolute best can compete toe to toe with Littler. However, he may only play his best darts every two or three games. For Littler, it is seven or eight, and that may not be the case because is a 108 average Littler’s B game?

"Away from the two Luke’s, there were a lot of brilliant storylines. Michael van Gerwen’s form is a flip of a coin. Sometimes good sometimes not. Even vintage van Gerwen would be impressed to get three legs in that semi-final against Littler with an 83 average. The consistency showcased over these last few years has been so poor. The brilliant highs are predominantly headlined by woeful lows. Fortunately, that semi-final run was enough to put him in a provisional spot for the 2027 World Matchplay. That could change with a deep run at Ally Pally, but there has to be real concerns over ‘The Green Machine’ with a busy period coming up.

"Saturday evening was basically a boosted World Series event. Eight Premier League Darts against some immense talents coming their way. It was a delightful evening of darts which highlights the popularity of this event. Humphries after the final defeat said that he will be back next year, and that will most likely be the case for a lot of the best players in the world. The European Tour is questionably the pinnacle of darts from a certain point of view, and while there are positives from the big guns not turning up, it is a lot better when they do.

"However, on that topic it seems that Littler is done until Dortmund. That opens the door for basically everyone to win a title and make some progress in the next tournaments in Antwerp, Basel and Maastricht. The European Championship will take place from October 22-25 with some top players still not confirmed to qualify. Gary Anderson may call it a day after an early exit in Prague. However, the big one is Stephen Bunting. He was the only Premier League player not to win that Saturday evening, and his form is concerning. He has won just six matches on the European Tour this year and has skipped just two of them. There is no doubt that Bunting is one of the best players in the world, but 2026 has simply not been his year.

"A final word has to go to Beau Greaves. The trailblazer will continue to inspire the next generation of women darters with her breakthrough event on the European Tour. It will not be long before she is in all of these events and even lofting a trophy high over her head. Her draws in her first two events have not been kind, but the performances have been mesmerising. Keep giving her opportunities, and she will take one of them eventually. This is a serious darting force ready to explode, and darts will be a better sport for it."