- Luke Littler could face a semi-final with reigning champion Luke Humphries
- The teen, 17, will meet Fallon Sherrock or Ryan Meikle in the second round
- Michael Smith could face the first transgender qualifier, Noa-Lynn van Leuven
Luke Littler could face a blockbuster clash with Fallon Sherrock in his first match at the World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace in December.
The 17-year-old sensation is looking to go one better than his astonishing debut, where he reached the final in January but ultimately lost 7-4 to Luke Humphries.
Littler has a bye to the second round due to being fourth seed and will meet either Sherrock or Ryan Meikle at that stage. English star Sherrock, dubbed the ‘Queen of the Palace’, is looking to build on her personal best third-round run from 2020.
Meanwhile, ‘Bully Boy’ Michael Smith – the 2023 champion – is second seed and will lock horns with either Kevin Doets or transgender player Noa-Lynn van Leuven.
Van Leuven will be the first transgender player to feature at the PDC World Championship after beating Beau Greaves to qualify in October. The Dutch star has won four titles this year.
Reigning champion Humphries – who beat Littler 11-7 to retain his Players Championship crown on Sunday – will come up against either Thibault Tricole or Joe Comito.
Littler and Humphries are on the same side of the draw and could clash in the semi-finals.
Ninety-six stars are entering the competition for a chance to lift the Sid Waddell Trophy and claim the £500,000 prize for winning.
It begins on December 15 and will reach its climax on January 3.
Teenage showstopper Littler has gone on to great things since reaching the final.
This year he has won the Darts Premier League as well as the Grand Slam of Darts.
All his success has enabled him to move his parents into a new five-bedroom house in Cheshire – complete with a swimming pool.
However, Humphries has had a storming 2024 of his own, adding the World Matchplay title to his stable, the Players Championship and three runners-up finishes in PDC majors.
