Humphries, Littler, and Van Veen Set for High-Stakes Showdown at Ladbrokes Finals
The stage is set for the 2025 Ladbrokes Players Championship Finals , and the drama couldn’t be higher. World number one Luke Humphries is gearing up to defend his crown at Butlin’s Minehead Resort from November 21st to 23rd , and the opening matchup has fans buzzing. He’ll face Gian van Veen , the same player who beat him in last week’s thrilling European Championship final. It’s being seen as a classic case of repeat or revenge .
Humphries just barely made it into the finals this year. Starting the last qualifying event ranked 58th, his place in the top 64 — the magic number needed to advance — was far from guaranteed. But with a key 6–2 victory over Martijn Dragt in Wigan, he managed to squeeze through before falling in the second round. That narrow escape means the reigning champion will now open his title defense against the in-form Van Veen, who’s already beaten him three times in 2025.
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Meanwhile, Luke Littler , the 18-year-old prodigy and reigning world champion, is also back in the mix. Seeded 36th, he’ll take on Sweden’s top player Jeffrey de Graaf in round one. Littler has had a rollercoaster month — after missing a tournament because of a tragic traffic incident that delayed him, he later voiced frustration at tournament officials over inconsistent registration rules. Still, his focus is now squarely on Minehead, where he could potentially clash with Humphries again later in the competition.
At the top of the bracket, Gerwyn Price will enter as the number one seed, having collected four Players Championship titles this season. His opening test comes against Germany’s Max Hopp , who just managed to grab the final qualifying spot. Wessel Nijman , riding high after his Players Championship 34 win, sits second in the rankings and will face fellow Dutchman Richard Veenstra .
The field for this year’s £600,000 event is packed with star power — from Michael Smith and Gary Anderson to Peter Wright , Chris Dobey , and James Wade — all former champions and contenders eager to make a deep run. Fans can expect non-stop darts action across three days, with early rounds on Friday and Saturday, before the finals bring the tournament to a climax on Sunday, November 23rd.
The Ladbrokes Players Championship Finals will be broadcast live on ITV4 in the UK and streamed globally on PDCTV, DAZN, and Viaplay. Whether it’s Humphries’ redemption, Van Veen’s rise, or Littler’s resurgence, one thing’s certain — the arrows will be flying, and the pressure will be sky-high at Minehead.
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