There's a storm coming as Littler takes on Van Gerwen

Luke Littler, 17, could break all the records set by opponent Michael van Gerwen in tonight's World Championship final

- LUKE BAKER

If ever there can be a calm before the storm amid the raucous, alcohol-fuelled cauldron of the PDC World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace, this may have been it.

While semi-final night can often be the highlight of the entire tournament, the 2025 edition crackled at points but never truly turned into an evening of darting classics that will live long in the memory. But the reward comes in what it has set up.

The storm will be tonight’s final. The final that, ever since Luke Littler was put in the same half of the draw as reigning champion Luke Humphries meaning the showpiece could never be a repeat of 12 months ago, fans and organisers alike would have been hoping for.

Teenage darting phenom Littler taking on a rejuvenated Michael van Gerwen.

Van Gerwen has the firepower to live with Littler and the name power to attract the casual fan, if the 17-year-old needed any help garnering interest in his remarkable quest for a first title. Their head-to-head record over the past 12 months is six wins apiece – whoever wins for a seventh time will be crowned world champion.

Both men entered last night’s semi-finals as heavy favourites and ultimately delivered what was needed. It wasn’t always spectacular but each outclassed their opponent, laying down a marker ahead of their heavyweight contest.

Van Gerwen brushed aside a struggling Chris Dobey – who wilted somewhat in his first PDC semi-final – winning 6-1 as a 98.84 average proved more then enough. Littler followed that with a victory over a fan favourite, the supremely likeable Stephen Bunting, and was certainly pushed harder than his Dutch foe, yet still triumphed by the same 6-1 scoreline, as he averaged 105.48.