In a stunning quarter-final result at the 2026 PDC World Darts Championship, World No. 2 and former champion Luke Humphries was emphatically defeated 5-1 by Dutch rising star Gian van Veen at Alexandra Palace.

Humphries entered the tournament among the favourites – even boldly declaring he intended to win the title this year after a strong run of form in 2025 – but he struggled to find consistency against van Veen. The 23-year-old produced one of the standout performances of the championship, averaging over 105 and taking his chances as Humphries missed key opportunities.

Van Veen took control early and never looked back, moving into the semi-finals where he will face Gary Anderson. Meanwhile, reigning champion Luke Littler also progressed confidently and will take on Ryan Searle in the other semi-final clash.

After the match, van Veen described the victory as potentially the biggest of his career, while Humphries’ hopes of lifting the Sid Waddell Trophy again came to a dramatic end.