Luke Littler retains World Matchplay title with 18-9 win over Gerwyn Price

Luke Littler successfully retained the World Matchplay crown by defeating Gerwyn Price 18-9 in Blackpool. The 19-year-old produced a tournament-high final average of 111.53 and registered a week-long average of 111.04, surpassing Phil Taylor’s previous benchmark of 106.31.

The victory came on 26 July 2026 as Littler claimed a second consecutive Matchplay title. Over the course of the event he set several statistical marks, including an unprecedented number of 180s, and confirmed himself among the small group of players to defend the trophy. The weekend also saw Beau Greaves defeat Fallon Sherrock to lift the women’s title.

In the final Littler dominated with a scoring display that yielded a 111.53 average, the highest recorded in the championship final. His sustained scoring across matches produced an overall tournament average of 111.04, a figure that eclipsed Phil Taylor’s previous tournament record of 106.31. The margin of the win, 18-9, reflected a consistent advantage in both scoring visits and checkout finishes.

Littler’s heavy scoring was underlined by his 180s total in the final, where he landed 12 maximums. That haul took his tally for the week to 66, setting a new competition mark for the most 180s by a player during a single staging of the event. The 12 maximums in the title match were instrumental in building the cushion that led to the one-sided scoreline.

The successful defence puts Littler in rare company as only the third man to retain the Matchplay crown. Before him, Phil Taylor and Michael van Gerwen were the only players to achieve back-to-back wins, with van Gerwen most recently completing the feat in 2016. Littler’s repeat triumph therefore places him alongside two of the tournament’s most decorated winners.

On the women’s side Beau Greaves emerged triumphant, beating Fallon Sherrock to claim the ladies’ title. That result completed a weekend of landmark performances across the event’s finals sessions in Blackpool.

Littler’s performance combined record-breaking scoring with a decisive final-day display to defend his title. The new statistical marks and his place among the event’s repeat champions underline the significance of his 18-9 victory over Gerwyn Price.