Luke Humphries has pledged to back England teammate Luke Littler if he faces a hostile reception from German fans during this weekend’s PDC World Cup of Darts in Frankfurt.
Despite being rivals on the circuit, the pair will team up for England in the 15th edition of the tournament, which kicks off on Thursday. Littler has previously expressed frustration over crowd hostility in Germany — notably being booed during events in Munich and Berlin earlier this year, as well as at the 2023 German Championship final in Hildesheim.
But Humphries, who won the World Cup last year alongside Michael Smith, stressed the importance of composure and team unity.
“It’s about not getting involved in the crowd,” said the reigning Premier League champion. “If they’re giving him a hard time, I’ll be there to say, ‘focus on your game, forget the noise’. It’s something he’ll learn from — playing in front of hostile crowds comes with the territory.”
Humphries added that he’s experienced similar treatment in the past and believes the key is to block it out.
Despite Littler’s previous struggles with German fans, Humphries is considering sending the 18-year-old prodigy out first when they begin their campaign in the second round on Saturday.
“I’ll probably let him go first. He’s the best scorer in the world — that’s just a fact. He’s great on the bullseye too, so it makes sense. But only if he’s comfortable. If not, I’ll go first. I played the anchor role last year and felt good doing that, so I’m open either way.”
Humphries and Smith’s win last summer marked England’s first World Cup title since 2016, and Humphries is confident Littler will find the experience just as rewarding.
“When you win, the emotion takes you by surprise. You’re just buzzing. It’s a special feeling and I think he’ll get that too. He might feel nervous early on — we’re expected to deliver every match — but I told him, it doesn’t matter how we win, just that we do.”
The Humphries-Littler partnership will be under intense scrutiny this week, and the pressure to deliver is high. But Humphries is focused on one thing: lifting the trophy with his young teammate.
