Darts world No 1 Luke Humphries admits his oche bromance with ‘little brother’ Luke Littler can dominate the sport for a decade

Luke Humphries has outlined his ambition to build a long-lasting legacy with his ‘little brother’ Luke Littler ahead of the 2025 PDC World Championship getting underway on Sunday.

Reigning champion, Humphries, is bidding to become only the fourth-ever person to retain the world title and could face another epic clash with teenage sensation Littler.

The pair previously went toe-to-toe in the last world final in January that ended with Humphries sealing a stunning 11-7 victory and their oche rivalry has only intensified over the past 12 months.

Humphries and his 17-year-old counterpart have emerged as the world’s best pair throughout the year with the 29-year-old adding the World Matchplay title and Players Championship Finals title to his trophy cabinet in November.

Meanwhile, Littler won an astonishing 10 titles throughout the year including the Premier League title during his debut entry in the tournament.

Now ahead of their Alexandra Palace reunion, Humphries believes the pair can create a legendary rivalry that will thrust darts into the stratosphere as one of the world’s biggest sports. 

Humphries and Littler previously starred in the world championship final in January

‘I won my first major a couple of months before Luke appeared on the scene but I feel like we’ve come through it together at the same time,’ said Humphries.

‘It’s not like he’s knocking me off my perch or I’m knocking him off his perch. We’re going together.

‘When you look back, you see that Phil Taylor ruled and then Michael van Gerwen came along and knocked him off his perch. Maybe Phil didn’t like it but Michael was loving it,’ he added.

‘It’s not like he’s knocking me off my perch or I’m knocking him off his perch. We’re going together.

‘And with Eric Bristow and Taylor, it happened when Phil took over. The difference for us two is that we’re coming through at the same time.

‘I know I’ve won more over the last 15 months — but hopefully over the next ten years we can share it out and create our own legacies,’ said the reigning world champion.

Despite both competitors looking to stop the other from lifting the Sid Waddell Trophy in January, Humphries and Littler are close friends away from the oche.

Reigning champion, Humphries, is bidding to become only the fourth-ever person to retain the world title

Littler finished runner-up to Humphries competing in his first world championship tournament

The duo never badmouth each other and Humphries admitted he sees himself as a role model to Littler after first meeting him in his early teenage years.

Humphries continued: ‘I do feel like an older brother to him. I met him when he was 12 or 13. I knew a lot about him. I knew his dad before. I can only imagine what I’d feel like at 17 and in this situation.

‘We’ve sort of come through the top end together. We get along. He does his own thing but we always have a chat.

‘It’s good fun being involved in the top end of a sport — it’s a privilege. We see it as a bonus we’re the top two in the world at the moment,’ he added.