Luke Littler is not allowed to play in the Players Championship 33. The 18-year-old darts star then speaks out on social media.
Luke Littler was not allowed to play in the Players Championship 33 on Wednesday afternoon – for a sad reason.
Because Littler was stuck in traffic, he did not arrive in Wigan in time to participate in the tournament. Littler had to report on site by 11:00 local time (12:00 CET), but the darts prodigy missed this deadline.
In the evening, Littler clarified that there had been an accident on the M6 motorway near Wigan. A man lost his life. “Today I missed the registration for the Pro Tour, but unfortunately someone lost their life. My thoughts are with everyone,” wrote Littler.
Littler: “Back to bed”
The distance from Littler’s hometown of Warrington to the venue in Wigan is about 23 kilometers. Depending on traffic, it usually takes 40 minutes to drive, but Littler was stuck in traffic due to the accident. The motorway was completely closed for some time and a helicopter was deployed.
“Back to bed,” Littler first wrote in his Instagram story, adding a picture from the car. “I wonder who they will nominate instead,” it continued.
Afterwards, Littler devoted himself to darts trading cards and treated himself to Chinese food. In the evening, he spoke out again and reported on the tragic traffic accident.
Players Championship: Littler qualified for final tournament
Littler is already safely qualified for the final tournament of the Players Championship after his victory in the 32nd tournament of the series. In the Players Championship Order of Merit, the Englishman is in 35th place with £36,000 in prize money.
The 2025 Players Championship Finals will take place from November 21 to 23 at the Butlins Resort in Minehead. The first three rounds will be played on two stages, as since 2016 the top 64 players in the rankings have qualified for the tournament.