Luke Littler denied opportunity to switch sports and raise money for charity

Lewis Henderson

By Lewis Henderson, 


Published: 18/04/2026

- 15:31

The two-time world champion was very keen to be involved

Luke Littler has been denied the opportunity to switch sports and raise money for charity in a football match with content creators.

The Sidemen Charity Match, organised by the popular social media group, including Britain's Got Talent judge KSI, features numerous online personalities playing in a game of football at Wembley.


Strictly Come Dancing finalist George Clarke and I'm a Celebrity winner Angry Ginge are both featuring, while Littler was snubbed from the occasion, despite showing a keen interest.

Responding to the group's announcement that their charity match had been sold out, the 19-year-old wrote: "Get me in the team Sidemen."

Luke Littler

Littler has been denied the opportunity to play at Wembley

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PA

Despite the profile of the two-time darting world champion, KSI, the group's most famous figure, denied his hopes.

The YouTuber explained: "I have not responded, and he's not in. It sounds so bad, but we only have content creators on the Sidemen Charity Match.

"So we haven't ever had a celebrity come on to play. That's more for like Soccer Aid.

"You never know, maybe one day we'll have Soccer Aid versus Sidemen."

KSI

KSI explained that only content creators play in the Sidemen Charity Match

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GETTY

Over 80,000 fans have made their way to Wembley for the fixture, which has kicked off today at 3pm.

Approximately £8.5million has been raised for charity through these matches, which have been held six times since the first event in 2016.

Last year's Wembley match was said to have raised £4.7m for BBC Children in Need, Bright Side, and M7 Education.

Littler was recently in action in Rotterdam, where he was public enemy number one with the Dutch fans.

Angry Ginge

Good friend of Littler, Angry Ginge, is playing in the match

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PA

The world number one was beaten by Jonny Clayton 6-4, who now tops the Premier Leafgue table by five points.

After being booed throughout the night following his bust-up with Dutchman, Gian van Veen, Littler fended off Gerwyn Price in the quarter finals 6-3.

The world number one then held off Luke Humphries' comeback in a thrilling semi-final to win 6-5.

At one point in the match against Humphries, Littler told the crowd to calm down after nailing double 20 to take the break of throw.

Luke Littler

Littler was subject to a chorus of boos from Dutch fans earlier this week

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GETTY

The two-time world champion also found his entrance music, Greenlight by Pitbull, rendered virtually inaudible beneath a wall of whistling, booing and shouting.

The jeering started even before Littler got on stage, as his image on the pre-match screen immediately drew boos from the orange-clad supporters.

Reacting to the jeers, the 19-year-old said: "Exactly what I expected, the boos and whistles, but I knew as soon as I got on stage I could do my job."