Gian van Veen ramps up war of words with Luke Littler after Premier League clash: 'I care little'

Callum Vurley
Sat, 04 Apr 2026 19:55:13 +0000

Gian van Veen has made it crystal clear he couldn't care less what Luke Littler thinks of him after their fiery Premier League clash in Manchester on Thursday night.

The World Darts Championship finalist branded the world champion a "bad loser" following their quarter-final encounter at the AO Arena, adding that Littler's behaviour on stage was "out of order".

Speaking to Swedish streaming service Viaplay, the world number three was refreshingly blunt about the situation.

"I'm here for myself. He's a fantastic darter, the world No 1, so what he does for the sport is great, but I care little about what he thinks of me," Van Veen said.

The match itself was a rollercoaster of tension and drama.

Van Veen raced into a commanding 4-1 advantage, but Littler fought back to level at 4-3 before the Dutchman edged ahead again.

Things got properly spicy in the deciding leg when Van Veen squandered a match dart at double 15, only to turn around and find Littler celebrating in front of the home crowd.

The world champion then gestured angrily at his opponent as Van Veen returned to the oche.

But Littler's own match dart at double seven went begging, and Van Veen pounced to seal victory.

Littler made a crying gesture to the crowd before a brief handshake and a swift exit.

Later that evening, the 19-year-old Littler took to Instagram to share Van Veen's comments, slapping three laughing emojis underneath.

Van Veen wasn't exactly surprised by the response.

VAN VEEN KO'S LITTLER!

Gian van Veen is back in business!

The European Champion halts Luke Littler's winning run with a dramatic deciding-leg victory in Manchester!

📲 https://t.co/gFQK4rQ2wU #PLDarts | QF3 pic.twitter.com/j9caCQ7RsK
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) April 2, 2026

"No, we haven't spoken," he told Viaplay. "He hasn't approached me either. I saw his reaction on social media. He thought it was funny."

The Dutchman was equally candid about where things stand between them now.

"Well, I don't think things will be very friendly between us anytime soon," he admitted.

It's safe to say this rivalry isn't cooling down anytime soon.

Van Veen had endured a tough spell before Thursday's triumph, having not won a Premier League match since week four while also recovering from kidney stones that kept him out of the Dublin event.

Littler, meanwhile, had been flying high with consecutive victories in Dublin and Berlin before his Manchester setback.

The pair won't cross paths this weekend at the European Tour event in Munich, as Littler hasn't entered the competition.

Van Veen faces either William O'Connor or Sebastian Bialecki in Sunday's second round.

The Premier League action resumes in Brighton next Thursday, where Littler takes on Stephen Bunting while Van Veen meets compatriot Michael van Gerwen.