“If I win the Matchplay, the Pro Tours are on” - Luke Littler opens door to shock floor return after skipping entire 2026 season

Luke Littler has opened the door to a shock ProTour return in 2026, but only if his World Matchplay title defence goes to plan.

The world champion has skipped every Players Championship event so far this year, building another trophy-heavy season almost entirely away from the floor circuit. That could change after Blackpool, with Littler using his post-match press conference at the US Darts Masters to set out the condition for a possible return.

Before that comment, Littler had to come through a far from routine US Darts Masters opener at the Infosys Theater at Madison Square Garden.

The 19-year-old averaged 87.84 in a 6-4 win over Cameron, who averaged 80.28 and had the chance to make the first-round tie properly uncomfortable. The experienced Canadian moved 4-3 ahead with a 180 and an 82 checkout, sensing his chance as Littler struggled to find full rhythm.

Littler responded on double 20 to level at 4-4, then broke for 5-4 with Cameron unable to apply pressure from 120. The Nuke had already missed 50 for the lead, but eventually found the break before sealing the match on double 16.

It was not clean, but it was enough. Littler admitted afterwards that he had not suddenly found his top level late on, even if the timing of his scoring helped him get through.

“I don’t think I flipped the switch there,” he said. “I think it was just a matter of the 180 and the 140 timing at the start of the leg. Obviously I was in a bit of danger because it was just going leg by leg. I wanted to try and break David and hold throw, get that two-leg advantage. I just couldn’t do it, but then I did it in the end and got over the line.”

Littler is still chasing a first US Darts Masters title in his third appearance at the event, and he rejected any suggestion that New York is simply part of his build-up to the World Matchplay.

“This isn’t just practice,” he said. “It’s a World Series title. Winning MSG would mean the world to me, and that’s what I’m going to go for. I think all the players want to win it. Obviously Luke wants to go back-to-back, but I’ve just got to take it game by game, and hopefully I’m better tomorrow.”

That improvement will be needed. Littler faces Jim Long in the quarter-finals after the Canadian produced the upset of the opening round by beating Josh Rock 6-4. “It’s just another opponent in my way of trying to get that trophy,” Littler said. “For myself, it’s about keeping it game by game. Hopefully I can be that little bit better tomorrow and sharpen up on the doubles.”

Littler also accepted he will need to raise his level sharply if he is to win the New York title for the first time. “I’ve always wanted to win this one,” he said. “It’s my third attempt now, so third time lucky, hopefully. I’ve got to be 10 times, 20 times better tomorrow. We’ll see what tomorrow brings.”

Littler has not played a Players Championship event in 2026, even as the rest of his season has continued to gather pace on the sport’s biggest stages. His New York comments now put the floor circuit back into the conversation.

Asked whether everything hinges on Blackpool, Littler replied: “Very much, yeah.”

A first US Darts Masters title remains the immediate target after his win over Cameron, with Jim Long waiting in the quarter-finals. Beyond Madison Square Garden, though, Littler has given his World Matchplay defence an added edge: win at the Winter Gardens, and his first ProTour appearance of the year could follow.