"If he pulls this off, I would say this is one of his greatest achievements": Luke Littler unlikely to complete impossible Minehead feat believes Matthew Edgar
PDCFriday, 07 August 2026 at 17:03
Luke Littler won't manage to qualify for the Players Championship Finals. That is the view of Matthew Edgar as he looked at 'The Nuke's likely impossible task to win every major in a year and he has entered a small number of ProTours.
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But Edgar looked into the statistics speaking to Online Darts and said that he has only won four ProTours his whole career and likely will have to win at least two in a format that in theory doesn't suit the big names as it's a free for all in a quiet environment.
"I don't think he does it. I would love him to because I've been a big fan of Luke Littler from the very early days. I've loved the progression and I've loved the story. It's been almost like a fairy tale," said Edgar to Online Darts.
"If he pulls this off, I'd say it's one of his greatest achievements in terms of the floor game and his development."
But for Edgar also as Littler and other big names know themselves, the process of playing in Leicester on the streaming boards is completely different to playing on the big stage on TV and as a result it is harder to quantify.
"In the two years Luke Littler has been on tour, he's only won four ProTour events. When you look at the amount of events he's has played, I believe it's less than 25% that he's won. Now he's got to win 50%.
"The percentages don't work out very well. Off the top of my head, I think he's either equally as likely, or even more likely, to lose in the first round than he is to win the title, based on his previous results.
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"So, judging on those numbers, you worry. But then we've just had the conversation about whether he's got better. He has got better—but he's got better on the big stage, over longer formats, in front of a crowd. Put him on Board 12 in Leicester, in a stagnant environment playing first to six, and it doesn't sound quite as appealing. So I'm going to say he doesn't make it, but I really hope he does.
Sponsors want the best players - Edgar
The prize would be a spot in Minehead which brought on a bigger issue which has reared its head all season about the Players Championship Finals and the needs of both paying customers in the crowd and also those producing the event and sponsoring it.
"Sponsors want the best players. Broadcasters want the biggest names. We deal in social media, so we know what sort of numbers are produced when the biggest names are involved. When you put someone like Luke Littler into something, the numbers spike.
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"Broadcasters obviously want that because they're putting a lot of money into the sport. So absolutely, it does create an issue."
Should there be a rule change?
A lot is made of the Players Championship Finals and Littler and co snubbing the ProTours and whether there should be a rule change. Edgar thinks there should but not for Minehead. He said that in reality it should be an untouched tournament as players work all year to qualify and it shouldn't be decimated because Littler and others don't want to play.
"I'll put an asterisk on that. I think we're going to see rule changes for most events. I'm not talking just about the Players Championship Finals—I mean qualification criteria in general. Can I see a complete overhaul? Yes. Other than the Players Championship Finals. I think most events will change, but I wouldn't be surprised if the Players Championship Finals stayed exactly as they are.
"The reason is that the Players Championship Finals are the culmination of the ProTour season. You've got 64 places. If you can't finish in the top 64 out of 128 tour card holders, then you don't go. I'd like to see that left alone."
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Luke Littler won the World Matchplay again.
But also Edgar sees the issue too: for instance, Luke Littler could end up playing in the tournament and be 64th seed which means some smaller name will likely get him or even one of his fellow big names so he sees issues arising. He does see both sides of the coin though in wanting to protect the big names as well as the monopoly that comes with qualification.
"I'm in the camp that thinks the top 16 should probably be protected, and I know that annoys a lot of people. Because the rankings are massively skewed now.
"When you've got Michael van Gerwen, Nathan Aspinall, Gian van Veen, Josh Rock, let's say they all scrape into the top 64 at 61st, 62nd, 63rd and so on—you've spent all year earning a high ranking and then you draw one of them first round.
"Is that right? It's difficult. I've been a player for so long that I still have that mindset of, "I don't like it. Why should someone get a free pass while I've got to qualify? That's why I'm probably one of the hardest people to get a straight answer from because I'm conflicted.
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"I look at it and think we need Luke Littler in Minehead. The school of hard knocks says, "Well, he should qualify like everyone else."
"Yes, absolutely. But without Luke Littler, Luke Humphries and Michael van Gerwen, that event isn't as lucrative. It doesn't have the same broadcast deals. It doesn't have the same sponsorship deals. It doesn't have the same prize money. So I understand both sides of the argument."
Samuel GillChief Content Officer
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of DartsNews.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy across professional darts coverage. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces, playing a central role in the development and daily operation of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has extensive experience in darts media and has been closely involved in coverage of the professional darts circuit for several years. Within the UK darts community, he is a recognised figure known for his consistent editorial output and ongoing reporting on major tournaments and developments across the PDC calendar.
In his current role, Samuel works closely with editors and writers to ensure content meets clear journalistic standards, with a focus on source verification, editorial consistency, and timely updates when new, confirmed information becomes available.
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