Everybody knows what Luke Littler can do when he gets going. One big score can turn into another, the trebles start flying, and before his opponent has time to settle, the match can already be slipping away. But when the world champion faces William O’Connor at the European Championship, should we really write off the Irishman before a single dart is thrown?
That is the question darts fans should be asking ahead of this showdown. Littler will understandably attract most of the attention, but O’Connor has the opportunity to turn one of the tournament’s most anticipated first-round ties into a serious test for the teenage superstar.
And here is the controversial part: if Littler is not at his best, O’Connor has a genuine opportunity to punish him.
Littler Is the Favourite, But This Is No Free Pass
There is no point pretending that Littler does not deserve to be the favourite. The world champion has already established himself as one of the most dangerous players in professional darts, and his ability to produce extraordinary scoring under pressure makes him a nightmare opponent for almost anybody.
He also arrives in Dortmund with something significant to chase. The European Championship is one of the major ranking titles still missing from his collection, giving him another reason to take this competition seriously.
However, being the favourite and actually winning are two completely different things.
Littler has experienced a difficult spell recently, with a quarter-final exit at the World Series of Darts Finals, a first-round defeat at the World Grand Prix and a semi-final loss at the World Youth Championship. Those results do not suddenly make him a bad player, but they show that even the biggest names can be vulnerable.
O’Connor will be watching closely.
The Irishman does not need to outclass Littler in every department. He needs to stay close enough to put pressure on him, take his chances when they arrive and avoid allowing the world champion to build an unstoppable rhythm.
That sounds simple, but executing it against Littler is another matter entirely.
Does William O’Connor Actually Stand a Chance?
Absolutely. But there is a difference between having a chance and being the favourite to win.
O’Connor is Ireland’s leading player and has enough experience to understand what is required on a major televised stage. He will know that Littler can punish even the smallest mistake, so he cannot afford to give away cheap legs or waste opportunities on the doubles.
The format also gives the underdog a reason to believe.
The opening round is played over a best-of-11-legs format, meaning the first player to reach six legs wins. That is not a lot of time for a favourite to recover from a slow start.
Imagine O’Connor opening strongly, holding his nerve on the doubles and forcing Littler to chase the match. Suddenly, the atmosphere changes. The crowd gets involved, every missed double becomes more important, and the pressure starts building on the player everyone expects to win.
That is precisely the kind of situation O’Connor must try to create.
He cannot afford to get involved in a scoring contest that allows Littler to dominate. Instead, he needs to make every leg count and take advantage of any hesitation from his opponent.
The Irishman is not expected to control this match from start to finish. But he does not need to.
He needs a good start, a few timely finishes and the belief that he belongs on the same stage.
The Head-to-Head Record Gives Littler an Edge
There is another reason to favour Littler: their previous meeting.
According to the available match statistics, Littler defeated O’Connor 6-3 at Players Championship 27 in August 2026. That result gives the world champion a psychological advantage, although one match does not tell the whole story.
O’Connor will have to show that he has learned from that defeat. If Littler gets ahead early again, the Irishman could find himself facing the same problems.
But a previous result is not a guarantee of what happens next.
Darts is a sport in which small differences can decide everything. A missed double, an unexpected maximum or one brilliant checkout can change the direction of a match in seconds.
O’Connor must believe he can make those moments count. If he enters the contest already convinced that Littler is unbeatable, he might as well hand him the trophy before they start.
Littler Cannot Afford to Underestimate the Irishman
Here is where things could become interesting.
Littler has earned the right to be confident, but confidence can quickly become frustration if an opponent refuses to go away. If O’Connor keeps matching his scoring and converts his opportunities, the pressure could shift towards the favourite.
The danger for Littler is assuming that his reputation will do some of the work for him.
It will not.
He must produce the quality required to win, particularly if O’Connor starts hitting his doubles consistently. If the world champion gives his opponent too many chances, he could turn a supposedly comfortable opening match into an uncomfortable evening.
And with a major title on the line over the course of the tournament, Littler cannot afford to waste opportunities.
At the same time, O’Connor must avoid getting carried away if he wins the opening legs. Taking an early lead is one thing; maintaining it against a player with Littler’s scoring power is another.
The Irishman will need composure as much as courage.
My Verdict: Can O’Connor Pull Off the Upset?
Littler deserves to be the favourite, and it would be foolish to ignore the quality that has made him the biggest attraction in darts.
But calling this a guaranteed victory would be disrespectful to O’Connor.
The Irishman has a realistic route to an upset: start strongly, keep the match tight, finish clinically and make Littler work for every leg. If he can do those things, he could turn this into a much closer contest than the billing suggests.
My biggest concern for O’Connor is whether he can maintain that level when Littler inevitably produces a burst of heavy scoring. If the Irishman blinks at the wrong moment, the match could get away from him very quickly.
Still, that is what makes this showdown worth watching. Littler has the reputation, the scoring power and the favourite’s tag. O’Connor has the opportunity to spoil the party.
So, does William O’Connor stand a chance? Yes. But he will need to deliver one of his sharpest performances to prove that this is more than just another night of Littler domination.
The real question is whether the Irishman can handle the pressure when the biggest moments arrive — or whether Littler will remind everyone why he remains the man so many players fear facing.
One thing is certain: O’Connor cannot afford to turn up simply hoping for a good performance. He must turn up believing he can win.