LEAKED: GIAN VAN VEEN’S TACTICAL PLAN TO OUTSCORE LITTLER IN A 13-SET THRILLER REVEALED
Defending champion Luke Littler faces Gian van Veen in a historic 2026 World Darts Final. Read the latest stats and player quotes.
Gian van Veen is ready to bring his best game to the PDC World Darts Championship final. He’s feeling sure he can win the Sid Waddell Trophy.
The tenth-ranked, 23-year-old from the Netherlands had a fantastic semi-final match with Gary Anderson. This win puts him up against Luke Littler, the current champion, in what should be a great final.
After beating Luke Humphries in the quarter-finals, Van Veen started strong against Anderson, taking a 3-1 lead.
The crowd at Alexandra Palace saw an amazing fifth set. Anderson hit a 10-darter and a Big Fish checkout, but Van Veen came back from being down two legs to win three straight, getting closer to victory.
Van Veen kept the pressure on, winning 6-3 to reach his first World Championship final.
Now, the world youth champion faces a tough match against 18-year-old Littler, who had an easy 6-1 win over Ryan Searle with an average score of 105.35.
Littler lost the first set to Searle but hopes to be the first player to win back-to-back world titles since Anderson did it ten years ago. Only four players have ever achieved this.
"It feels amazing," Van Veen said about reaching the final.
When I was a kid, I didn't even dream about being in a final. My first dream was just to be in a World Championship.
But here I am, and it feels incredible. I keep telling everyone I'm still pinching myself. And since I’m still in the tournament, I’m not going to stop.
Van Veen seemed annoyed by the crowd at times during the semi-final. Anderson is very popular at Ally Pally, and the booing and jeering were clear during the live broadcast. Some viewers felt it went too far.
Van Veen admitted he was a bit frustrated but said, I enjoyed every second. Gary played great, especially in the fifth set with that 10-dart leg and then the 170.
But I still won that set, and it was a fantastic game. Gary played so well.
I got frustrated when the crowd got involved, but I’m so glad I still won, even with them against me.
But it’s fair because I’m a Gary Anderson fan too, so I can’t blame them for wanting him to win. I was just enjoying being on that stage.
When asked how confident he is about beating Littler, Van Veen said, Very confident. I’m playing so well in this tournament.
I think my lowest average was around 97 or 98, so I feel really good up there, especially with these longer matches.
Today was a long game, but I still averaged 103, and my checkout percentage was good.
It gives me a lot of confidence going into the final. I know Luke Littler is waiting, and everyone knows what he can do, so I need to bring my best game tomorrow, or it’s going to be very difficult.
About the possibility of another great match in the final, Van Veen said, Hopefully, that’s the plan!
If I play well, it’s not going to be an easy win. It will be close, and if I don’t play well, he’s going to beat me badly.
That’s what I’m thinking, so I hope I bring my A-game like I have been.
I’m confident I will, and then it’s going to be a great game.
Van Veen knows it will be tough and thinks he might just be keeping up with Littler, who he calls the better scorer.
It’s going to be very tough because he’s going to put you under pressure from the start, he said.
It might go to 13 sets, so it’s going to be hard.
But if I can keep up with my scoring, and my checkout percentage has been good all year, I hope I can take my chances and keep up with his scoring because he’s probably the better scorer.
So I just need to keep up and take my chances, and I’ll have a shot.
CORY UNDLIN AND MIKE RUTENBERG NAMED FINALISTS FOR BROWNS DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR JOB
Cleveland Browns defensive coordinator search: Cory Undlin, Mike Rutenberg, and Jason Tarver fight for the 2026 DC role
Cory Undlin, who used to run the Detroit Lions’ defence, is now in the mix for the Cleveland Browns’ defensive coordinator job.
So, here we are. The Browns have been hunting for Jim Schwartz’s replacement for about ten days now, and they’ve narrowed it down to three names. A decision’s coming soon.
Mary Kay Cabot from Cleveland.com reports the finalists: Cory Undlin, who’s currently the Texans’ passing game coordinator; Mike Rutenberg, who handles the same job for the Falcons; and the last in-house option, linebackers coach Jason Tarver.
The Browns need a new coordinator because Schwartz is out; he was frustrated after the team passed him over for the head coach job when they fired Kevin Stefanski. Schwartz had the defence humming, too. His first year, they finished No. 6 in Pro Football Focus’ rankings, then No. 8, and last year, they jumped to No. 2.
Only one candidate left from inside the building: Tarver. There’s been a lot of talk about keeping Schwartz’s “wide nine” approach, even if someone else takes over. That definitely helps Tarver’s cause since he’s been on staff under Schwartz for three seasons.
Tarver’s been a defensive coordinator before, but it didn’t go great. With the Raiders from 2012 to 2014, his defences ranked 28th, 29th, and 32nd in points allowed. Not exactly a glowing record.
Still, keeping Tarver would probably go over well with the players and coaches, especially those who weren’t thrilled with how the Schwartz situation played out. But there’s also a case for new head coach Todd Monken bringing in someone he knows and trusts. That’s where Undlin comes in; he and Monken go way back to their Jaguars days nearly twenty years ago.
Undlin also spent time with Schwartz on the Eagles’ staff from 2016 to 2019.
Then there’s Rutenberg, who’s kind of the wild card. He doesn’t have any clear ties to Monken or the Browns. He’s only been with the Falcons for a year, and before that, he coached linebackers for the Jets from 2021 to 2024.
Monken told reporters at his first press conference that he hoped Schwartz would stay, but he also said the Browns could run Schwartz’s system without him. He made a point that it’s the players, not the coordinator, who make the defence work.
That’s only part of the story. Under Schwartz, plenty of guys who hadn’t really stood out before started playing at a new level, like Maliek Collins, Alex Wright, and Devin Bush. Even Myles Garrett, one of the league’s best pass rushers, gave Schwartz a tonne of credit.
“I don’t think I get two DPOYs without Jim,” Garrett said last week. “He helped mould my potential as a player and put me in a scheme that fit me. He let me do what I do best: rush the passer and attack up front. See the ball? Go get it.
“So, can we keep that going? It’s about the guys we have in the locker room. We all need to be on the same page, focused on the mission, and attack it with urgency.”
THE SIXTH RING? WHY MICHAEL JORDAN CLAIMS DAYTONA 500 GLORY FEELS LIKE NBA TITLES
Michael Jordan’s 23XI Racing wins the 2026 Daytona 500! See MJ’s emotional reaction to Tyler Reddick’s win and his NBC Sports move.
Jamal Crawford didn’t hold back; he called Michael Jordan’s move to NBC Sports a game-changer, and you could tell he felt proud to join him as a teammate.
But the real headline came earlier, at the 2026 Daytona 500. When 23XI Racing took the checkered flag, Michael Jordan just stood there in victory lane, clearly overwhelmed. He watched Tyler Reddick soak in the biggest win of his NASCAR career, confetti raining down, and then pulled his driver into a hug. It was one of those moments that felt straight out of Jordan’s own basketball glory days.
This win was huge for a team Jordan and Denny Hamlin only started back in 2020. What began as a brand-new Cup Series entry has turned into a serious contender. On Sunday, all that hard work paid off on NASCAR’s biggest stage. Sure, Reddick’s gutsy move on the last lap clinched it, but Jordan’s reaction to how much this meant to him and the whole team really told the story.
Jordan compared the Daytona win to winning an NBA title. Standing in victory lane, he tried to put it into words: “This is what it feels like to win a championship. We’ve built this from the ground up, and to see it pay off like this… It’s indescribable.”
A little earlier, talking to FOX, he admitted the whole thing felt surreal: “I can’t even believe it. It’s so gratifying. We had four guys really fighting and helping each other out. You never know how these races will end. You try to survive.”
He kept coming back to one thing: teamwork. Jordan made a point to call out Riley Herbst for his push in those final laps: “I thought Riley did an unbelievable job pushing at the end. That’s what teamwork is all about. He doesn’t get enough credit and probably won’t, but we feel the love, and we know exactly what he did.”
For Jordan, that win was about more than just a last-lap move. “We just hung in there all day. The team had a great strategy and gave us a chance at the end. Look, I’m ecstatic. I don’t even know what to say. It feels like I won a championship, but until I get my ring, I won’t even know.”
He knows how much work goes into superspeedway racing: the preparation, the timing, and the drafting partners. It’s a group effort, start to finish.
For 23XI Racing, this wasn’t just another win. It’s the biggest moment in their short history. Since 2020, they’ve grown from a single-car team to a regular threat in the Cup Series. Now, they’ve got a Daytona 500 win under their belt.
Jordan’s been front and centre for all of it, pushing the team, raising its profile, and living out that relentless drive for excellence. After the race, cameras caught him celebrating with fist pumps, big hugs with Reddick, and the whole team pouring into victory lane.
Later, Jordan reflected on the journey. He’s always chased greatness, and now he sees that same fire in his NASCAR crew. For a guy with six NBA championships, winning the Daytona 500 just proved he still has that competitive edge. This time, instead of the hardwood, the celebration happened right there at Daytona International Speedway: his team, their win, and one of NASCAR’s biggest moments.