Luke Littler is set to begin his title defense at the upcoming PDC World Darts Championship by facing off against Darius Labanauskas at Alexandra Palace next month. The draw for the tournament was conducted on Monday afternoon.
The 18-year-old secured his world championship victory earlier this year by defeating Michael van Gerwen at Ally Pally. Since then, Littler has claimed victories at the UK Open, World Matchplay, World Grand Prix, Grand Slam of Darts, and Players Championship, among other accolades.
Following his recent ascent to the world No.1 ranking, Littler is in top form leading up to his title defense in the upcoming championship. His first-round opponent has been revealed as Lithuanian No.1, Labanauskas.
In other matchups, Luke Humphries will face Ted Evetts, Michael van Gerwen will take on Mitsohiko Tatsunami, and Beau Greaves is scheduled to compete against Daryl Gurney in the opening rounds.
The complete list of first-round matchups for the 2026 PDC World Championship includes a diverse array of players from various backgrounds and skill levels.