'Luke Littler is so good - he will retain his World title' - predicts Wayne Mardle, while Mark Webster says the No 1 is 'ticking boxes'

Luke Littler is set to retain his world title at Alexandra Palace, according to Sky Sports pundits Wayne Mardle and Mark Webster.

Littler's path to retaining the crown has been mapped out by Mardle, who lists several matches the teenager will have to win in order to secure a second successive World Championship title. These include victories over Darius Labanauskas, David Davies or Mario Vandenbogaerde, Joe Cullen, Bradley Brooks or Mensur Suljovic, Damon Heta, Raymond van Barneveld or Rob Cross, Chris Dobey or Gerwyn Price, Stephen Bunting, Jonny Clayton or Michael Smith, and finally, Luke Humphries in the final. The 18-year-old has made a remarkable impact on the darting world since becoming the youngest world champion when he beat Michael van Gerwen in 2025.

Mardle's confidence in Littler's abilities is reflected in his prediction that the teenager will retain the title. "Littler is unscarred," Mardle said. "He's the freest darts player in the world mentally." Mardle also believes that Littler's next opponents, including Daryl Gurney and Fallon Sherrock, pose a threat to his chances of retaining the title.

Mark Webster, on the other hand, sees Littler as a steady force who is "ticking boxes" by winning tournaments. According to Webster, Littler will face a stiff challenge from Beau Greaves in their first-round match but ultimately expects him to come out on top.

The world championships are being held at Alexandra Palace, where the tournament format will see all seeded players competing in matches twice before Christmas. The event promises to be an exciting one, with several high-profile players vying for the title.

I'm so hyped for Luke Littler's upcoming World Championships ! It's amazing to see him still going strong at just 18 years old. I mean, he won it all last year and now everyone's counting on him to retain the title again . The predictions from Wayne Mardle and Mark Webster are giving me major confidence vibes – I think Luke's got this one in the bag ! What I love about Littler is that he seems so chill and focused on his game, it's like he's totally unbothered by all the pressure . And can we talk about how awesome it is to see a new generation of talented players coming up in the sport? It's really exciting for the future of darts !

I'm loving this darts scene right now ! Luke Littler is literally on fire and I'm so hyped to see him retain his title at Alexandra Palace . Mardle's predictions are spot on, the kid's got game ! But we gotta keep an eye out for those tough opponents like Beau Greaves and Fallon Sherrock ... they're gonna give Littler a run for his money ! Anyway, can't wait to watch these matches unfold ... bring on the excitement !

I'm not surprised by Luke Littler's chances of retaining his world title . He's been on a roll since becoming the youngest world champion, and that mental toughness is key . The fact that Mardle believes he's unscarred and has the freest mind in the game says a lot about his skills . I do think Mark Webster's assessment of Littler as a steady force who ticks boxes is also spot on . The tournament format at Alexandra Palace will definitely make it an exciting event to watch ️!

omg u guys!!! lol i cant even... luke littler is def gonna retain that world title he's literally been on fire since becoming the youngest champ ever!! and mardle's right, the kid's got game but mark webster thinks hes just tickin boxes meanwhile, i'm lowkey hyped for the tournament especially daryl gurney vs falcon sherrock, thats gonna be lit

omg i cant believe lukas is gonna retain his title lol he's like a darts god now , Mardle's predictions are spot on tho, Littler has been on fire since he became world champ , but Gurney and Sherrock better bring their A game or else theyre done for , can't wait to see how the tournament unfolds at alexandra palace

This kid Luke Littler is a BOSS on the darts scene! I mean, he was only 17 when he won that first world championship and now he's already being predicted to retain the title? That's some next-level talent right there . Mardle saying he's "unscarred" mentally makes sense, Littler has been on a tear since becoming champ. I'm kinda rooting for him to take down Gerwyn Price in the semis tho

I'm low-key excited about this year's World Darts Championship ! Luke Littler is like a young Harry Potter who just got chosen as the favorite to win the title . I mean, 18 and already world champion? That's some next-level talent right there . And can we talk about how unpredictable it is gonna be with Daryl Gurney and Fallon Sherrock throwing their hats into the ring? It's like that time when Riverdale's Hiram Lodge joined forces with Jughead .

But seriously, Littler's got some tough matches ahead of him – I'm rooting for him to come out on top though! The tournament format looks pretty packed too, so it should be an epic battle . Time to grab the popcorn and watch these darts pros go head-to-head .

I'm so hyped for the World Darts Championships! Luke Littler is literally a darts phenom right now and I love how Sky Sports pundits are confident in his abilities to retain the title . Wayne Mardle's prediction that Littler will come out on top against tough opponents like Beau Greaves is spot on imo . The tournament format at Alexandra Palace sounds thrilling, and I'm excited to see who'll step up and challenge the younger generation . Can't wait for it to go down!

idk why Sky Sports is so quick to assume Luke Littler's got this in the bag . they're just repeating what their pundits think without actually checking the stats or having a good look at the field of competition. it's not that simple, you know? Darius Labanauskas and David Davies are still decent players, not some nobodies like Mark Webster says . and don't even get me started on how many matches Littler has to win just to get to the final . what if he has a bad day or two mid-tournament? all this talk about him being "unscarred" is cool, but I need some hard data before i start betting on it

I'm thinking Luke Littler's got this . He's come so far since that shocking upset over Van Gerwen, and now he's set to defend his title... it's gonna be a wild ride! I mean, Mardle's predictions are spot on - the kid's got game, no doubt about it. But Webster's right too, Littler's gotta stay focused, can't let those tough opponents like Gurney or Sherrock get in his head . And what about that first-round match against Greaves? That'll be a test, for sure! Can't wait to see how it all plays out at Alexandra Palace

omg cant believe luke littler is gonna retain his world title i mean whats not to love about this kid he's only 18 and already a double world champion i know some ppl might say hes got it easy cuz michael van gerwen retired but honestly luke looks like a rockstar on the oche wayne mardle and mark webster r both predicting a win for him which gives me so much faith in this kid's abilities plus, he's still young and has so many matches to prove himself daryl gurney and fallon sherrock better watch out tho

OMG, I'm so hyped for Luke Littler's retention ! He's been on fire since becoming youngest world champ and Mardle's got his back . I mean, who wouldn't believe in a 18-yr-old with zero experience ? And Mark Webster saying he'll just tick boxes? Yeah, Littler's got this . The competition's gonna be fierce tho ... Gurney & Sherrock are gonna give him a run for his money ! Can't wait to watch the tournament @ Alexandra Palace

Dude , can't believe Luke Littler is gonna retain that world title again! He's like a darts machine , unscathed and all, Mardle says . I love how he's got this freestyle vibe going on mentally, it's like he's in his own zone . Anyway, Mark Webster thinks Littler is just steady and ticking boxes , but who cares? The kid's got skills ! Also, Beau Greaves better watch out, I heard they're gonna be a tough matchup . Can't wait for the tournament to kick off at Alexandra Palace, it's gonna be lit !

Littler's gotta have a good shot at keeping it ... I mean, he's already the youngest world champ and all that. But those predicted opponents of his? Meh... Beau Greaves looks like a solid test for him, especially in their first round match . And what's up with Mark Webster thinking Littler is just ticking boxes? Doesn't he see how tough Darius Labanauskas could be? That guy's been around the block a few times . Still, if anyone can pull it off, it's Luke ...

I'm so done with these pundits making a mountain out of Luke Littler's achievements . Like, I get it, he's young and talented, but do we really need to overanalyze every single step of his journey? I mean, Mardle makes some solid points about Littler's mental game being "unscarred" , but come on, he's still just a teenager trying to navigate the world championships. Webster's take on Littler as a "steady force ticking boxes" sounds a bit... predictable . And don't even get me started on Mark Webster thinking Beau Greaves is going to give him a run for his money . Newsflash: the world championships are all about momentum, and if anyone can harness that, it's Littler .

omg u guys I'm so hyped for the world darts championship ! Luke Littler is gonna crush it & retain that title for sure ! Wayne Mardle's prediction is spot on, Littler is literally unscathed from all his past experiences . And Mark Webster is right too, Littler's got this steady vibe going on, always wins those tournaments . I'm low-key worried about the matches against Daryl Gurney & Fallon Sherrock tho , but Littler's gonna pull it off ! The tournament format at Alexandra Palace sounds can't wait to watch all these top players go head-to-head !

omg i cant wait for the world championships lol!!! Luke Littler is gonna RETAIN his title and it's gonna be so epic!! Mardle is right he's the freest darts player mentally and thats what makes him a rockstar!! Littler's been on fire since winning that first title in 2025 and i trust him to bring home the gold again! even if his next few matches are gonna be tough, he'll crush it and then its on to the finals where hes gonna face off against Luke Humphries... cant wait for that one too!!