"Luke Littler 4th" - 10 Youngest Players to have played at the PDC World Championships - 180UK.com
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“Luke Littler 4th” – 10 Youngest Players to have played at the PDC World Championships

9 December 2025
Tom Sansom

By Harry Eddolls

This is the second half of our two-part series, that breaks down the oldest and youngest darts stars to have played upon the hearlded ochy of the PDC World Championship stage. These young guns were thrust into the limelight at an early age, with many making the trip to Ally Pally before they could even buy themselves a pint at the iconic venue.

Having counted down the 10 oldest participants in World Championship history in a previous 180UK article, now we turn our attention to the other side of the coin. Here are the ten youngest entrants to have ever graced the World Championship stage.

10. Jeffrey de Zwaan (2015/16, 19 years old)

We begin our list of the youngest players to appear at a World Championship with Dutchman Jeffrey de Zwaan. He won a tour card in 2015, and had a successful enough year to qualify for the World Championship through the Pro Tour Order of Merit. He was just 19 years and 270 days old when he took to the Ally Pally stage for the first time to face Michael Smith, but fell to a 3-2 defeat.

De Zwaan would go on to have some success, winning a few titles on the Pro Tour and having his best ever major run at the World Matchplay, where he reached the semi-finals in 2018. He would ultimately be unable to maintain his tour card however, having lost it at the end of last year.

9. Toon Greebe (2007/08, 19 years old)

Next up, we have another Dutchman, in the form of Toon Greebe, who qualified for the inaugural World Championships held at Alexandra Palace in 2008 through the DDF Order of Merit. He was 19 years and 84 days old when he faced Peter Manley in the first round, but was ultimately defeated 3-2. He made a few more PDC major appearances, including a UK Open in 2009, before returning to the Ally Pally in 2010, but then left the PDC to rejoin the BDO. Unfortunately, Toon is no longer with us, having passed away in 2023, just a year after he had to have his lower left leg amputated.

8. Sebastian Białecki (2022/23, 19 years old)

We head to Poland for our next entry, that being Sebastian Białecki. In a year that saw him reach a major quarter-final at the UK Open, Białecki won the Eastern Europe qualifier to ensure himself a spot at the World Championship. He had just turned 19, 14 days before to be precise, when he made his debut against Jim Williams, but he would bow out at the first hurdle, losing 3-2. He hasn’t returned to Ally Pally since, but he won a tour card at the start of this year, and will be back at the World Championships, where he faces a tough first round test in world number four Stephen Bunting.

7. Beau Greaves (2022/23, 18 years old)

Next comes another promising young talent who made her debut in the 2023 edition, in the form of Beau Greaves. She showed her promise on the WDF circuit, winning the 2022 world title in the women’s section. She then appeared in the Women’s Series, doing enough throughout her appearances to earn her a spot at Ally Pally. When she took to the stage against Irishman William O’Connor, she was just 18 years and 341 days old. She couldn’t get the win however, and was whitewashed 3-0.

Greaves continued to dominate the women’s game, winning the WDF World Championship in both 2023 and 2024, as well as the Women’s Matchplay in the same years. She has made 3 Grand Slam appearances and one in the UK Open, but has yet to make a deep run. She will return to Ally Pally this year, facing Daryl Gurney in the first round, and has a tour card secured for 2026 onwards.

6. Micheal van Gerwen (2007/08, 18 years old)

One of the biggest names in the sport is up next, in the form of Dutchman Micheal van Gerwen. Having won the BDO World Masters in 2006, he made the switch to the PDC for the UK Open in 2007, and qualified for the World Championship which began that December. His debut came at just 18 years and 237 days, and he faced the toughest test possible in the form of then 13-time world champion Phil Taylor. He ran him close but was ultimately defeated 3-2.

It took a while for him to really make a mark on the sport, but in 2012 he rose to the spotlight, winning his first major at the World Grand Prix before making his first world final, once again losing to Phil Taylor. He wouldn’t have to wait long for his first world title, as in 2014 he defeated Peter Wright to lift the Sid Waddel Trophy. Fast forward to the present and he is now a three-time world champion, and has 46 major PDC titles to his name.

5. Keane Barry (2019/20, 17 years old)

We head to Ireland for the next entry, in the form of Keane Barry. He qualified for the 2020 edition by winning the Irish Matchplay in October 2019, and was just 17 years and 174 days old on debut, where he went out in straight sets to Vincent van der Voort. Just a few weeks later he was in action at Lakeside, and claimed the 2020 BDO title in the youth section, defeating Englishman Leighton Bennet in the final.

Barry has been back at Ally Pally every year since his debut, and won a tour card in 2021 which he has kept to this day. He will face Australian debutant Tim Pusey in the first round this year, and he will be looking to go further than his best of the second round, which he’s achieved on three occasions.

4. Luke Littler (2023/24, 16 years old)

This name needs no introduction. Coming off the back of winning the World Youth Championship, an as of then relatively unknown teenage prospect by the name of Luke Littler made his Ally Pally debut at the age of 16 years and 333 days. He defeated Christian Kist 3-0, but few could imagine the run that would unfold over the next two weeks. Wins over Andrew Gilding, Matt Campbell, Raymond van Barneveld, Brendan Dolan and Rob Cross saw The Nuke into the world final just 14 days after gracing the stage for the first time.

While he lost the final 7-4 to Luke Humphries, it was just the first step in what has so far been a short but incredible career. Two years on, he had a staggering nine major titles, and became the youngest ever world number one last month. Still aged just 18, he will head into this years tournament as the firm favourite to pick up the crown, and become the first player to win back-to-back world titles since Gary Anderson in 2016.

3. Max Hopp (2012/13, 16 years old)

Next on the list is the German Max Hopp. He won the Central European Qualifier to secure his spot at Ally Pally for the 2013 tournament, and when he took to the stage for his preliminary round tie against Charl Pietersen he was just 16 years and 117 days old. He won that match 4-1, but would crash out in the first round to Englishman Denis Ovens, losing 3-2.

Hopp has since gone on to have some success in the PDC, having a tour card between 2015 and 2022, and again from this year onwards. He also became the first ever German to win a PDC title when he won the 2018 German Darts Open in Saarbrucken. His best ever run at a PDC major was also in 2018, when he made the semi-finals of the European Championship. Now, aged 29, he is back at Ally Pally after a five year absence, with his first round opponent this year being Martin Lukeman.

2. Fabian Schmutzler (2021/22, 16 years old)

Taking the runner-up medal for youth is another German, in the form of Fabian Schmutzler. He finished second on the EU Development Tour in 2021, which earned him a spot at Ally Pally. He faced Englishman Ryan Meikle on debut in the first round, and was just 16 years and 58 days old when he took to the stage. It was not the debut that Schmutzler would have hoped for, as Meikle stormed to a 3-0 win to send him home at the first time of asking. That would be the highlight of his career so far, as all that followed was a solitary European Tour appearance, and a third round run in the UK Open, both in 2022. Schmutzler is still only 20 however, which means there’s plenty of time yet for the German to make an impact in the sport.

1. Mitchell Clegg (2006/07, 16 years old)

Image Credit: Daily Telegraph

And the title of the youngest ever World Darts Championship participant heads to Australia, and specifically to one Mitchell Clegg. Born in New South Wales, he won the Oceanic Masters in 2006 to book his spot at the Circus Tavern in December for the biggest tournament in darts. He was just 16 years and 37 days old when he faced his very tough opening round assignment, against then four-time world champion Raymond van Barneveld. It would prove too much for the Australian, as he was whitewashed 3-0 by the man who eventually went on to take the title. That would be his only appearance to date in a PDC major, but his record still remains 19 years after he took to the Circus Tavern stage.

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