No, **Luke Littler** is not playing at the 2026 European Darts Trophy.
The tournament, officially known as the Elten Safety Shoes European Darts Trophy, is taking place from March 13-15, 2026, at the Lokhalle in Göttingen, Germany. It marks the second event of the year on the PDC European Tour, featuring a 48-player field competing for a £230,000 prize fund, with £35,000 awarded to the winner (and £30,000 often highlighted for the Sunday final victor in some reports).
Littler, the 19-year-old world number one sensation nicknamed “The Nuke,” withdrew from the event in advance. His absence was confirmed across multiple updates on the tournament’s lineup, with Rob Cross stepping in as his replacement via the Pro Tour Rankings. Littler has been selectively participating in European Tour events this year, notably winning the opening one—the Poland Darts Open—where he defied a nine-dart effort from Gian van Veen in the final to claim the title. However, he has continued a pattern of skipping events in Germany, reportedly linked to past issues with crowd behavior during previous visits.
Other notable absences include Luke Humphries (who withdrew after the draw) and Jonny Clayton (also a post-draw withdrawal), with replacements like Karel Sedláček and Cam Crabtree entering from the reserve list. The seeded players and top contenders stepping up include Gian van Veen (seeded 2), Michael van Gerwen (3), Gerwyn Price, Stephen Bunting, Ryan Searle, Josh Rock, Danny Noppert, Chris Dobey, Martin Schindler, and others from the PDC Order of Merit and Pro Tour qualifiers.
Littler’s packed schedule has seen him dominate major events recently—he’s the back-to-back PDC World Champion (including a victory over Gian van Veen in the 2026 final), a recent UK Open back-to-back winner, and a strong performer in the ongoing Premier League Darts 2026, where he’s chasing further success. His decision to sit out this German-based tournament allows for rest amid a demanding calendar that includes Premier League nights (such as his strong showings leading into Nottingham and beyond), upcoming European Tour stops like the Belgian Darts Open, and more.
While fans might miss seeing the teenage phenom in action this weekend, his selective approach highlights a strategic balance between competing at the highest level and managing the intense demands of professional darts. The field remains stacked with talent, promising exciting matches from Friday’s first round through Sunday’s final.
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