The darts world is on edge as Luke Littler, the 18-year-old sensation and PDC World Champion, faces a daunting challenge at the 2025 Flanders Darts Trophy in Antwerp, Belgium, running from August 29 to 31. Just hours before jetting off to compete for the £30,000 top prize from a £175,000 prize fund, Littler underwent emergency dental surgery in Manchester on Thursday, August 28, to extract a painful tooth. The procedure, prompted by hours of unrelenting pain, has left the young star “in shock and shaken,” raising questions about his readiness for the European Tour event where he’s the second seed. As he prepares to face either Dylan Slevin or Francois Schweyen in the second round on Saturday at 6:00 PM BST, Littler’s resilience will be put to the test in a tournament that could define his meteoric 2025 season.
Littler, known as “The Nuke,” has dominated darts since his breakthrough, amassing £2.2 million in prize money in just 19 months. His 2025 haul includes triumphs in the World Championship, Premier League, Grand Slam, and World Series Finals, plus European Tour titles in Belgium and Austria. Antwerp holds special memories—his Belgian Darts Open win earlier this year featured a nine-darter—but last year’s Flanders Darts Trophy ended in a third-round upset to Dirk van Duijvenbode. “Everyone knows I love Belgium, and hopefully I can play my best darts,” Littler said, his affection for the vibrant Antwerp crowd undimmed. Yet, his Instagram story revealed the toll of his ordeal: “In pain for hours and hours, so had to get tooth out. Luckily they were able to do it and sort me out, but hopefully it’s all good for Saturday.” He added, “I’ve never had this done and I don’t know how I’m going to be feeling, but right now I am in shock and shaken as I didn’t know what to expect.”
The Flanders Darts Trophy, hosted at the Antwerp Xpo, boasts a stacked field. Defending champion Dave Chisnall, who edged Ricardo Pietreczko 8-6 in 2024, is back, while Michael van Gerwen faces Gian van Veen or Adam Gawlas, and Stephen Bunting, riding a 101.7 average from Players Championship 24, meets Joe Cullen or Ian White. Gerwyn Price, recently hospitalized for a hand infection, takes on Ryan Joyce or Pietreczko. The absence of Luke Humphries, Nathan Aspinall, and Gary Anderson elevates Littler’s seeding, but his physical state is a wildcard. “I don’t know how I’m going to be feeling in the morning or whether I’m gonna be in a little bit of pain,” he admitted, preemptively addressing fans: “If you see me in the airport, I’m just gonna have my AirPods in, and I’m gonna be doing my own thing, so don’t be saying I’m arrogant because I’m not.”
The tournament’s format—best-of-11 legs early, scaling to best-of-15 in the final—demands precision, especially for Littler, whose pinpoint accuracy on doubles has been key to his success. His recent 138 checkout against Darryl Pilgrim and a clutch win over Beau Greaves show his mettle, but post-surgery discomfort could disrupt his rhythm. Slevin’s heavy scoring or Schweyen’s home-crowd boost could exploit any lapse. Darts analyst Mats Leering noted, “Littler’s the favorite, but Schindler’s European Tour form and Bunting’s momentum make this wide open.” The event, streamed on DAZN and PDCTV, promises drama, with 2024’s 287 maximum 180s setting a high bar.
Littler’s candor has endeared him to fans. He thanked the Night and Day Emergency Dentist staff in Manchester and sent a heartfelt “I love you” to his girlfriend, Faith, with whom he went public in July 2025 at the World Matchplay. His vulnerability contrasts with his on-stage swagger, where he’s paraded trophies at Old Trafford and even “renamed” Warrington’s Halliwell Jones Stadium for a night. As he boards his Friday flight, Littler’s focus is clear: recover, regroup, and let his darts shine. “Hopefully it’s all good for Saturday,” he said, a quiet resolve beneath the uncertainty.
With the semifinals and final on Sunday, August 31, Littler’s quest for a third European Tour title hinges on overcoming this setback. The Antwerp Xpo’s electric atmosphere awaits, but whether “The Nuke” can explode past his physical and mental hurdles remains the burning question in darts.
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