Key Points
- Luke Littler defeated Mike De Decker 6-1 in the second round of the SUPERBET Poland Darts Open 2026 at EXPO Kraków, averaging 113.84 with three 180s and 100% checkout success (6/6 doubles).
- Littler advances to last 16 (third round) against Ross Smith on Sunday afternoon, following Smith’s 6-1 win over Daryl Gurney.
- The event marks Poland’s first PDC European Tour tournament, running 20-22 February 2026.
- Luke Humphries beat home favourite Krzysztof Ratajski 6-5 in a last-leg decider after leading 5-2 but facing a comeback; he criticised crowd behaviour for distracting him.
- Humphries averaged 97.17, Ratajski 99.59, both with two 180s; Humphries faces Boris Krcmar next.
- Withdrawals: Michael van Gerwen and Gerwyn Price pulled out, allowing players like Callan Rydz entry.
- Other second-round results (evening): Josh Rock 6-1 William O’Connor, Jonny Clayton 6-4 Adam Gawlas, Michael Smith 6-5 Joe Cullen, Luke Woodhouse 6-4 Callan Rydz, Stephen Bunting 6-4 Niels Zonneveld, Gian van Veen 6-5 Andrew Gilding.
- Afternoon results: Boris Krcmar 6-4 Martin Schindler, Chris Dobey 6-0 Connor Scutt, Nathan Aspinall 6-3 Darryl Pilgrim, Jermaine Wattimena 6-5 Danny Noppert, Wessel Nijman 6-2 Gary Anderson, Cameron Menzies 6-0 James Wade, Ross Smith 6-1 Daryl Gurney, Cristo Reyes 6-2 Ryan Searle.
- Sunday schedule: Afternoon third round from midday GMT, evening quarter-finals, semis, final from 6pm GMT.
- Littler quoted: “I definitely needed this tonight… I always want to win the first World Series of the year.” (Note: Referred to as European Tour in sources, but aligns with context.)
- Humphries quoted: “Crowds that don’t give you a fair game… it is hard for me to perform.” And on his play: “I’m starting off like a train… then playing the worst darts.”
- Event at EXPO Kraków; top seeds entered second round.
Poland Darts Open (Cardiff Daily) February 21, 2026-Kraków, Poland (Cardiff Daily) February 21, 2026 – World champion Luke Littler delivered an imperious performance at the inaugural SUPERBET Poland Darts Open, thrashing Mike De Decker 6-1 to storm into the last 16 with a staggering 113.84 average, three 180s, and perfect six-from-six on doubles. The 19-year-old English sensation bounced back from Premier League struggles, setting up a third-round clash with Ross Smith on Sunday afternoon. This marks Poland’s first PDC European Tour event at EXPO Kraków, drawing top talent from 20-22 February.
Who Was Luke Littler’s Opponent and How Did He Dominate?
As reported by Sky Sports darts coverage, Littler faced Belgian Mike De Decker, a former World Grand Prix champion, in the second-round evening session on Saturday. Littler never looked back after an early break, landing three maximums and converting every checkout attempt for a ruthless 6-1 victory. “I think I definitely needed this tonight,” Littler stated post-match. “I definitely needed to put on a performance, not only for myself, but for the fans.”
BBC Sport highlighted Littler’s near-114 average and clinical finishing, noting he wasted no time as a top seed with a first-round bye. Dartsnews.com described it as an “astonishing 113.84 average” in a 6-1 demolition, headlining the blockbuster Saturday night in Kraków.
What Did Luke Humphries Say About the Crowd?
World No. 2 Luke Humphries survived a scare against Polish home favourite Krzysztof Ratajski, winning 6-5 in a tense last-leg decider after leading 4-1 (or 5-2 per reports). Ratajski, spurred by vocal local support, fought back to 5-5, but Humphries sealed it on double 4.
As reported by Sky Sports, Humphries criticised the crowd’s behaviour: “You probably would have seen a great game of darts there… when you get crowds that, unfortunately, don’t give you that kind of fair game that you want it is hard for me to perform.” He added it put pressure on Ratajski late on, and reflected on his form: “I’m starting off like a train in every game I play, playing the best darts out of anybody, and then all of a sudden I’m playing the worst darts out of everybody.” Stats showed Humphries at 97.17 average (50% checkouts, 6/12), Ratajski 99.59 (38.46%, 5/13), both with two 180s. Humphries, averaging disappointingly, faces Boris Krcmar next after the Croatian’s 6-4 win over Martin Schindler.
Which Other Top Players Advanced on Saturday?
Premier League stars shone amid few upsets. Jonny Clayton beat Adam Gawlas 6-4, Michael Smith edged Joe Cullen 6-5, Stephen Bunting defeated Niels Zonneveld 6-4, and Gian van Veen survived Andrew Gilding 6-5. Josh Rock crushed William O’Connor 6-1, Luke Woodhouse came from behind to beat Callan Rydz 6-4 (Rydz in after Gerwyn Price withdrawal).
In the afternoon, Chris Dobey whitewashed Connor Scutt 6-0, Nathan Aspinall beat Darryl Pilgrim 6-3, Jermaine Wattimena outlasted Danny Noppert 6-5, and Cristo Reyes downed Ryan Searle 6-2. Shocks included Cameron Menzies’ 6-0 thrashing of James Wade and Wessel Nijman’s 6-2 win over two-time world champion Gary Anderson. Ross Smith routed Daryl Gurney 6-1 to set up his Littler tie.
Withdrawals by Michael van Gerwen and Gerwyn Price opened doors, with no DRA sanctions noted as they occurred pre-draw.
How Did First-Round Matches Set the Stage?
Friday’s openers fed into Saturday: De Decker beat Marvin Kraft 6-4, Ratajski downed Mickey Mansell 6-3, Gawlas ousted Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-3, among others like Daryl Gurney 6-1 Dawid Robak. These wins paved the second-round path for the seeded stars.
What Is the Sunday Schedule at Poland Darts Open?
Third round afternoon from midday GMT: Littler v Ross Smith, Josh Rock v Cristo Reyes, Luke Woodhouse v Chris Dobey, Jonny Clayton v Michael Smith, Humphries v Boris Krcmar, Stephen Bunting v Jermaine Wattimena, Gian van Veen v Nathan Aspinall, Wessel Nijman v Cameron Menzies. Evening from 6pm GMT brings quarter-finals, semi-finals, and final, crowning Poland’s first champion.
Why Is This Tournament Significant for Darts?
The SUPERBET Poland Darts Open is the PDC’s first European Tour event in Poland, hosted at EXPO Kraków with top Order of Merit players entering second round. Littler eyes the title as the first-ever winner, building on his world championship form despite Premier League woes against Van Veen and Clayton. RTE.ie noted his “ruthless display of power scoring,” while BBC emphasised the quest for inaugural glory.
Humphries seeks redemption after his average, amid growing darts popularity in Poland via Ratajski. With minimal shocks, the field is stacked for high-stakes Sunday action.
