Luke Littler's hopes of appearing in the 2026 Sidemen Charity Match have been definitively dashed after a blunt rejection from KSI. The reigning darts world champion had expressed his desire to participate in the popular charity football game via an Instagram post in early February, writing "Put me in the team, Sidemen" after tickets sold out within hours. However, KSI firmly shut down the rumors during an interview on Capital FM, stating unequivocally: "I have not responded, and he's not in."
The 32-year-old YouTuber, boxer, and Britain's Got Talent judge explained that the event adheres to a strict, long-standing rule: only content creators are allowed to participate. "It sounds so bad, but we only have content creators on the Sidemen Charity Match," KSI said. "So we haven't ever had a celebrity come on to play. That's more for like Soccer Aid. You never know, maybe one day we'll have Soccer Aid versus Sidemen." He emphasized that this was not a personal rejection of Littler, noting that even if Justin Bieber wanted to play, the answer would be the same: "No! Content creators only!"
The Sidemen Charity Match, organized by the hugely popular YouTube group Sidemen, is scheduled for April 18th at a fully sold-out Wembley Stadium in London. It has grown into one of the world's biggest online sporting events, with millions of viewers tuning in live via YouTube. Last year's participants included major internet personalities such as IShowSpeed, Logan Paul, and MrBeast alongside the core Sidemen members. Littler, a 19-year-old Manchester United supporter who often presents himself as a big football fan and regularly appears at football matches and other sporting events, will now have to refocus on darts, with his sporting venture to Wembley off the table for now.
Reactions among darts fans have been mixed, with some understanding the organization's stance and others disappointed not to see the reigning darts world champion—the face of the sport's new generation with massive popularity beyond the circuit—in action on Wembley's hallowed turf. For now, the teenage sensation, who won the World Darts Championship in the past two years, will have to wait for potential future opportunities, perhaps even a creative collaboration with the Sidemen away from the football pitch one day.
