In a stunning upset that has sent shockwaves through the darts community, England’s Luke Littler and Luke Humphries, the world’s top two players, were unceremoniously knocked out of the 2025 World Cup of Darts in Frankfurt, Germany, sparking fierce criticism from a darts legend and fans alike. The duo, fresh off receiving MBEs in the King’s Birthday Honours on June 13, 2025, were expected to dominate as defending champions and tournament favorites. Instead, they suffered an 8-4 defeat to hosts Germany in the second round, prompting scathing remarks that they “let England down” and questioning the merit of their recent honors.
The World Cup of Darts, held at the Eissporthalle, was anticipated to showcase the formidable partnership of Littler, the 18-year-old world champion, and Humphries, the 30-year-old world number one. Their entrance, accompanied by the cheeky tune *Vindaloo*, drew boos from the partisan German crowd, setting a tense stage. Despite a brief rally to level the score at 2-2, with Littler’s 123 checkout sparking hope, the English pair faltered. Missed doubles—hitting only four of 11 attempts—proved costly, while Germany’s Martin Schindler and Ricardo Pietreczko capitalized with clinical finishes, including a 106 and a 101 checkout. Schindler, who had boldly declared the English duo “beatable,” reveled in the victory, stating, “I was right because we believed in ourselves. The double 16s from Ricardo when it mattered just went in, so we’re really happy.”
Darts icon Dennis Priestley, a former world champion, didn’t hold back in his assessment of the performance. He lambasted Littler and Humphries for their lack of cohesion, revealing, “From what we’ve heard, they weren’t sitting together or practicing together.” Comparing their display to his successful partnership with Phil Taylor, Priestley emphasized the importance of teamwork, noting, “When I was playing in pairs with Phil Taylor, we practiced together and sat together. We played all over the world, and I only remember us getting beaten once.” He went further, questioning their MBEs: “To be brutally honest, I don’t think either Luke Littler or Luke Humphries have done enough to earn their MBEs just yet. They have both won one World Championship each and are still young in their careers.”
The criticism was echoed by Wales’ Gerwyn Price, who reached the final with Jonny Clayton before losing to Northern Ireland. Price highlighted a lack of camaraderie, observing, “The only two players who didn’t turn up together, didn’t sit together, didn’t play as a team. You need to turn up together, practice together, sit together—it’s a team ethic.” Fans on social media drew parallels to England’s football “Golden Generation,” likening Littler and Humphries to Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard, whose individual brilliance failed to translate into international success.
Despite the backlash, Humphries and Littler have garnered support. Rob Cross, another English darts star, defended their MBEs, stating, “Fair play to both of them, they deserve the MBE as they work hard, and Luke Littler has burst on the scene.” Humphries, reflecting on his honor, expressed pride: “It’s not something I was thinking about so soon in my career. It’s a fantastic achievement.” Littler, meanwhile, has been credited with elevating darts’ popularity, though Priestley cautioned, “If he is getting an MBE this soon, then you’d have to think he is on the right path to a knighthood.”
The defeat marks a rare low for the duo, who have dominated the sport with their rivalry, facing off in 23 matches since the 2024 World Championship final. As they take time off to regroup, the darts world watches to see how they’ll respond to this humbling setback.
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