The 2025 World Darts Championship has been full of surprises and World No. 1 Luke Humphries’ exit has blown the tournament wide open.
Many fans and pundits predicted a Luke Humphries vs Luke Littler semi-final, but Cool Hand’s shock loss to Peter Wright means a rematch of last year’s final is off the cards.
Littler is yet to set the world alight at Alexandra Palace this term, but he’s safely through to the fourth round without really being troubled.
The Nuke is yet to play a seeded player at darts’ biggest tournament and that trend could continue through to the final four.
This is Luke Littler’s likely route to the final after Humphries’s surprise exit.
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Fourth round – Ryan Joyce
One thing we know for sure is Littler will come face-to-face with ‘Relentless’ Ryan Joyce in the fourth round.
Joyce defeated Ryan Searle in the third round, despite Heavy Metal hitting the fourth-highest average of the tournament with 100.97.
Joyce has been steady in wins against Darius Labanauskas, Danny Noppert, and Searle, but he’s yet to trouble a three-figure average which he’ll no doubt need to topple The Nuke.
In a tournament of surprises, the teenager should sail through this one without much fuss.
Quarterfinals – Nathan Aspinall
Should Ricardo Pietreczko defeated Nathan Aspinall, Littler could find himself in the final four of the World Darts Championship without playing a single player from the Top 32.
The German has been solid in the tournament so far, especially with his dominant performance against Scott Williams, but The Asp should have too much for Pikachu.
Aspinall is yet to find the big averages in the tournament, but he’s come through his two matches with little trouble against Leonard Gates and Andrew Gilding.
A match with Aspinall will provide Littler with his first proper test of the tournament, but The Nuke should be too high-scoring for the Stockport thrower to handle.
Semi-finals – Stephen Bunting
Wright’s dismantling of Humphries has thrown a spanner in the works for the final four, but Snakebite will still have to play out of his skin to get through Stephen Bunting.
The Bullet has been impressive in the tournament so far, particularly with a 100+ average against Madars Razma in round three.
Bunting and Littler have only ever met twice, both in Pro Tour events, and they share a win apiece and close-fought games.
There’s only ever been a leg between the men in their matches and Littler will have to be on the top of his game to dislodge the World No. 8.