LITTLER BLASTED FOR PLAYING IN WORLD YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP
22/10/2025 By Aaron Nijjar
LUKE LITTLER has been blasted for being a “show off” by competing at the World Youth Championship.
The world No.2, who lifted the youth title in 2023, remained eligible to compete as the event has no ranking restrictions and is open to players aged 16–23.
But the teenage superstar was sensationally dumped out in the semi-finals by Beau Greaves, who will face reigning champion Gian van Veen in the final at Minehead on November 23.
Former pro Andy Cornwall hit out at Littler’s decision to take part, insisting the Warrington wonderkid should have stepped aside after winning the World Championship in January.
He said on the Mission Darts Podcast: “Ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous.
“It was a bit like, ‘look at me, look at me, look at me.’ Everything is about me. I didn’t like it one little bit.
“Somebody should have got hold of him and said, ‘you’re doing the wrong thing here, Luke. You’re taking away somebody else’s chance.
“You should not be playing in the youth anymore when you’re world champion.’”
However, pundit Matt Edgar hit back, insisting Littler’s presence brought credibility and exposure to the tournament.
He added: “Okay. So I’m the opposite.
“Luke Littler, first of all, is of age to play in the Youth World Championship — so why not? Next thing, Luke Littler added credibility to the event.
“Beau Greaves versus Gian van Veen is now the final of that event.
“If that game was promoted as, ‘here’s the final, Gian van Veen versus Beau Greaves,’ you know for a fact the comment section would be, ‘it doesn’t matter, they’re only there because Luke Littler wasn’t.’
“So, by Luke Littler being in the event, it made that game more marquee. It’s made it better because Luke Littler was in the event — and he didn’t make the final.
“It still doesn’t matter who wins. He’s still the best player.”
He continued: “It added media attention. This was on Sky Sports News, and every media outlet picked up on this story and added name value then to Beau Greaves and to Gian van Veen. So they all got picked up from it.
“So, everything is boosted by Luke Littler being in there, and that final now means so much more because he was in there.
“So, I think Luke Littler added to it. It didn’t take anything away.”
Cornwall didn’t agree, doubling down: “You’ve not convinced me. I don’t like it. I think he went to show off. I was glad he got beat.”
Littler returns to action at the European Championship in Dortmund on Friday and will face Raymond van Barneveld in round one.
Image by Taylor Lanning.
