Michael van Gerwen beaten by Luke Humphries in World Matchplay 2026 classic

Michael van Gerwen suffered a heavy defeat to Luke Humphries in the World Matchplay 2026 final at Blackpool’s Winter Gardens on Saturday night.

What happened in Blackpool?

Luke Littler entered the World Matchplay as defending champion but fell short in the semis. Instead, Luke Humphries lifted the Phil Taylor Trophy for the second time after beating Michael van Gerwen 18-15 in a Winter Gardens classic. Humphries averaged 101 across five games, including that decisive final, to claim his fifth major of 2026 so far.

Why this result matters for Michael van Gerwen

This marks van Gerwen’s latest high-profile loss to Humphries. Their last major meeting came in last year’s World Matchplay final, where Humphries won 18-15 with a 101 average. Since then, Humphries has struggled to stay on top but showed he can still peak when it counts.

How Humphries turned the tables

Humphries had already beaten Littler in the US Darts Masters final on 28 Jun. That 8-7 victory came with a 104 average. Now he’s added the World Matchplay to his tally, ending Littler’s run of four straight major finals since October 2025.

What’s next for the darts elite

Wessel Nijman is the only other player priced at 10/1 to win the title. Nijman hasn’t yet peaked on the biggest stage but could be Humphries’ next big test. Littler, meanwhile, eyes the European Championship to complete his major sweep.