Luke Littler's pursuit of qualifying for the Players Championship finals in November encountered a significant hurdle when he was defeated by Jermaine Wattimena in the quarter-finals of PC27 in Leicester. The loss to the Dutchman, who secured his first victory in six meetings against Littler on the PDC tour, came in a last-leg decider.
Littler, participating in his first Pro Tour event of 2026, was unable to advance further in the tournament. The 19-year-old shared a positive sentiment on Instagram following the match, posting "on the move."
Qualification for the Players Championship finals is a key objective for Littler as he aims to achieve a calendar sweep of ranking events in 2026. The top 64 players in the Players Championship standings earn a spot in the finals held in Minehead in November. Littler, who opted to miss the initial 26 events on the circuit, currently sits in 141st place after earning £4,000 from this event.
With seven Players Championship events remaining, Littler has opportunities to climb the rankings. However, he has previously indicated his intention to compete only in UK-based events, narrowing his remaining chances to three tournaments. Littler is currently £22,250 behind Mario Vandenbogaerde, who occupies 64th place in the standings. Prize money for the events includes £15,000 for a victory and £10,000 for reaching the runner-up position.