Van Veen Cites 'Out of Order' Behaviour
Gian van Veen declared Luke Littler was "out of order" and "not a good loser" following an ill-tempered Premier League Darts clash in Manchester on Thursday, April 2, 2026. Van Veen accused Littler of making a 'crybaby' gesture towards him and the crowd after the Dutch player had secured a quarter-final victory. The incident unfolded when Littler, after missing three darts at a double to win the match, made the gesture towards his supporters. Van Veen then took out the winning double himself, leading to a tense exchange.
The Dutch player felt Littler's actions were inappropriate, particularly after Littler had apparently celebrated Van Veen's missed opportunities earlier in the contest.
Lingering Bad Blood
Littler, 19, appeared to respond to Van Veen's comments by sharing a post on his Instagram Stories with laughing emojis. The feud has continued to simmer, with reports suggesting no clear admission of blame from either player regarding the conduct at the oche. Van Veen stated, "The way it happened doesn’t really matter to me," after his victory.
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Van Veen, who has faced recent health struggles with kidney stones, saw his win as significant. The match itself concluded with a narrow 6-5 victory for Van Veen over Littler at the AO Arena. This win avenged Van Veen's earlier defeat to Littler in a World Championship final.
Background
The Premier League Darts event took place in Manchester, considered a home venue for Littler. The dispute occurred during 'Night Nine' of the competition. Van Veen proceeded to the semi-finals following this encounter, while Littler's bid for a third consecutive Premier League win was halted.
