"Luke Littler is so good - he will retain his World Championship title," predicts SportsNews' Wayne Mardle, while Mark Webster feels the teenager is "ticking boxes".

Littler has his sights set on becoming the first person in a decade to successfully defend the title.

The Warrington slinger became the youngest world champion when he beat Michael van Gerwen in the 2025 final and his star has only risen since.

The 18-year-old has won five major titles since then, including the Players Championship last weekend, and has overtaken Luke Humphries to sit at the top of the rankings.

He is the heavy favourite to win a second successive crown at Alexandra Palace .

Only Phil Taylor, Adrian Lewis and Gary Anderson have ever defended their title at Ally Pally, with the Scot winning in 2015 and 2016.

"Littler is unscarred," Mardle told SportsNews' reporter Michael Bridge. "He's the freest darts player in the world mentally. There is no negatives at all. There is none of this, 'I've tried to win the Worlds before and it didn't work out for me'. He's going into everything fresh and with clarity of mind knowing that he can do whatever he likes.

"He does what he likes. I'm not saying he's always right. He's leaving double 15 on purpose and then splitting it. That's not good board management - that's poor - but he gets away with it because he is so good.

"When you are so good, people will always give it, 'yeah, but he's so good'. Phil Taylor would leave 162, 163, 169, then win the leg, win the set, win the world championship.

"Michael van Gerwen would hit a 180 to leave double one - 'Yeah, but he can do what he likes because he's so good!'

Former Lakeside champion Mark Webster said: "Luke Littler said it himself. For him not to win that tournament he has to have an off-day and he's not having many of them at the minute. He's brimming with confidence. He's ticking boxes by winning tournaments. The world championship is just another tournament for him to win.

"There's all the glamour around the million pound prize but he just wants to win another tournament."

Mardle added: "I think it will be a Luke-Luke final. I've already predicted it. I think he [Littler] will retain it. I think Luke and Luke are head and shoulders. Littler under pressure in set play has already shown what he can do in the World Grand Prix Final - every big leg, he won!"

One of the standout ties of the first round sees three-time women's world champion Beau Greaves take on World Cup winner Daryl Gurney.

Greaves - who dominated the women's series in 2025, picking up 86 consecutive wins and 13 titles in a row - gave Van Gerwen and Anderson a run for their money in the recent Grand Slam of Darts and will provide a test for the Northern Irishman.

Former world champion Michael Smith will take on Lisa Ashton while 'Queen of the Palace' Fallon Sherrock faces Dave Chisnall.

Two-time world champion Peter Wright has been paired with Noa-Lynn van Leuven and Josh Rock plays Gemma Hayter.

"The Gurney-Beau match and Chizzy against Fallon - they're the ones that could go either way. They really could," admitted Mardle.

"Beau Greaves is world class, there's no doubt about it. There could have been worse draws for Beau and Daryl but they've drawn each other. Chizzy is not playing well and Fallon will see that as an opportunity. She's playing decent."

"I don't know if the other ladies will fancy their chances, but they're not the class of their opponent."

This year's tournament has an extended field of 128 players and all seeded players will play twice before Christmas.

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