The BetVictor World Cup of Darts 2026 is off and operating as No 1 Luke Littler joins forces with No 2 Luke Humphries to signify Workforce England.
Wales will open their problem for a 3rd title, as hosts Germany and former champions Australia additionally headline on the 40-nation occasion.
Here is all the things you might want to know concerning the event between 11-14 June on the Eissporthalle in Frankfurt – reside on Sky Sports activities.
Can Littler and Humphries gel to win the crown?
Littler and Humphries will renew their partnership for five-time winners England, because the world’s high two goal to reclaim the coveted crown.
The highest two ranked gamers on the earth, who misplaced within the second spherical to Germany final 12 months in a shock defeat, will enter the event because the No 1 seeds, which means they’ll enter within the second spherical together with Netherlands, Scotland, and Northern Eire.
Talking on the most recent version of Love The Darts Podcast, Paul Nicholson stated: “I do not suppose they exit early like they did final 12 months, however I do not suppose they win it at a canter.
“That reality is, this can be a completely different self-discipline and I like that reality Litter hasn’t received this as a result of it reinforces the urge for food to get one thing that he would not have.
“Humphries has already got it so he knows how to get it and until these two win this World Cup there are going to be people on their backs saying, ‘you haven’t won that, have you?’ And that could be part of the banter in the practice room with Josh Rock and Daryl Gurney. ‘We’ve won this and you haven’t!’
“It will likely be an fascinating backroom chat that they are going to be having towards one another.
“The narrative coming into this tournament hasn’t been about them. It’s been about Wales not being at full strength and it’s about other teams possibly going all the way.
“Twelve months on there are individuals on the market who are usually not satisfied that Luke and Luke are going to be a group which might be going to dominate this factor.”
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Talking on Love The Darts, Paul Nicholson discusses England’s possibilities on the World Cup of Darts
Who can problem favourites England?
Michael van Gerwen groups up with Gian van Veen for the Dutch
The Dutch group boasts a formidable line-up of Gian van Veen and Michael Van Gerwen, whereas Josh Rock and Daryl Gurney enter the event as defending champions after successful the World Cup for Northern Eire final 12 months.
The No 5 seeded duo of Martin Schindler and Ricardo Pietreczko return for Germany and will likely be hoping to raised final 12 months’s semi-final exit in entrance of their house crowd, whereas Belgian pair Mike De Decker and Dimitri Van den Bergh will look to redeem themselves after a disappointing group stage exit in 2025.
Northern Eire pair Josh Rock and Daryl Gurney received the event for the primary time with an epic victory over Wales in a final-leg decider in 2025 they usually’re again to defend their title.
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Highlights as Germany shocked England on the World Cup of Darts
The place is Gerwyn Worth?
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Talking on Love The Darts, Devon Petersen and Polly James talk about Gerwyn Worth’s determination to withdraw from the World Cup of Darts
Maybe the largest shock comes from the Welsh line-up, the place Worth didn’t make himself out there for choice for the second time in three years, leaving Nick Kenny to hitch an in-form Jonny Clayton because the No 7 seed.
Worth, 41, stated on the Premier League of Darts: “My focus is there, but health-wise I’m not in a great place at the moment.
“However I am battling on, looking for some outcomes. Hopefully, over the subsequent few weeks, they’ll come and put me relaxed.”
However, Price published a message on his Instagram, which read, “Simply to make clear. I’ve NOT withdrawn from the World Cup due to well being causes.”
Speaking on Love The Darts podcast, Devon Petersen said: “Worth is approaching it very otherwise and it is one thing I did not anticipate from him. He’s pleased with his nation Wales.”
Polly James added: “I simply suppose he desires to have per week off to work on his farm.”
What was the best World Cup match?
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Have a look again at one of the crucial dramatic finals within the competitors as England overcame Australia in 2012 after a sudden-death leg
There’s just one winner on this class!
England and Australia met within the last of the second World Cup in 2012 they usually served up a conflict that went all the best way to a sudden-death leg.
All 4 gamers acquired the prospect to throw at a double to win the match.
In a nail-biting finale, Paul Nicholson, Phil Taylor and Simon Whitlock every missed two match darts earlier than back-to-back world champion Adrian Lewis pinned double 5 to safe England’s first World Cup success.
Gibraltar known as as much as substitute Uganda
Uganda’s Patrick Ocheng and Juma Stated had been set to signify their nation in its first look on the BetVictor World Cup of Darts 2026, however had been pressured to withdraw following visa points.
Ocheng and Stated had gained a berth within the event by successful the African Darts Group qualifier. Runners-up, Malawi, had been in line to take their place, however they had been unable to supply visas in time.
Graig Galliano and Justin Hewitt had been as an alternative known as as much as play for Gibraltar, who will face Eire and Singapore in Group D.
What are the teams, groups and schedule?
2026 BetVictor World Cup of Darts
Seeded to Spherical Two
(1) England [Luke Littler, Luke Humphries]
(2) Netherlands [Gian van Veen, Michael van Gerwen]
(3) Northern Eire [Josh Rock, Daryl Gurney]
(4) Scotland [Gary Anderson, Cameron Menzies]
Group Stage Draw
Group A
(5) Germany [Martin Schindler, Ricardo Pietreczko]
Philippines [Alexis Toylo, Paolo Nebrida]
New Zealand [Jonny Tata, Ben Robb]
Group B
(6) Belgium [Mike De Decker, Dimitri Van den Bergh]
Hong Kong [Man Lok Leung, Lok Yin Lee]
Slovenia [Benjamin Pratnemer, Stefano Bozicek]
Group C
(7) Wales [Jonny Clayton, Nick Kenny]
Lithuania [Darius Labanauskas, Mindaugas Barauskas]
Thailand [Sarayut Ouamumpa, Sowaris Rodman]
Group D
(8) Eire [William O’Connor, Mickey Mansell]
Singapore [Paul Lim, Phuay Wey Tan]
Gibraltar [Craig Galliano, Justin Hewitt]
Group E
(9) Poland [Krzysztof Ratajski, Sebastian Bialeck]
Portugal [Luis Camacho, Jose de Sousa]
Switzerland [Stefan Bellmont, Marcel Walpen]
Group F
(10) Sweden [Jeffrey de Graaf, Oskar Lukasiak]
South Africa [Graham Filby, Devon Petersen]
Mongolia [Altantulkhuur Myagmarsuren, Ganzorig Lkhagvasuren]
Group G
(11) Australia [Damon Heta, Adam Leek]
USA [Adam Sevada, Stowe Buntz]
Canada [Jim Long, David Cameron]
Group H
(12) Czechia [Karel Sedlacek, Adam Gawlas]
India [Nitin Kumar, Ankit Goenka]
Denmark [Andreas Toft Jorgensen, Jonas Graversen]
Group I
(13) Austria [Mensur Suljovic, Rusty-Jake Rodriguez]
China [Qingyu Zhan, Xiaochen Zong]
France [Thibault Tricole, Nicolas Thuillier]
Group J
(14) Latvia [Madars Razma, Valters Melderis]
Italy [Michele Turretta, Riccardo Castelli]
Trinidad & Tobago [Joshua Balfour, James Walkin]
Group Okay
(15) Croatia [Boris Krcmar, Pero Ljubic]
Japan [Motomu Sakai, Haruki Muramatsu]
Spain [Cristo Reyes, Jose Justicia]
Group L
(16) Finland [Jani Haavisto, Jonas Masalin]
Norway [Cor Dekker, Kent Sivertsen]
Hungary [Patrik Kovacs, Pal Szekely]
Group Stage Schedule
Thursday June 11 (6pm)
Seeded Nation v Workforce 2
Czechia vs India (H)
Croatia vs Japan (Okay)
Finland vs Norway (L)
Eire vs Singapore (D)
Poland vs Portugal (E)
Sweden vs South Africa (F)
Latvia vs Italy (J)
Belgium vs Hong Kong (B)
Germany vs Philippines (A)
Wales vs Lithuania (C)
Austria vs China (I)
Australia vs USA (G)
Friday June 12
Afternoon Session (11am)
Thursday’s shedding nation v Workforce 3
Similar Group Order
Night Session (6pm)
Thursday’s successful nation v Workforce 3
Similar Group Order
Saturday June 13
Afternoon Session (12pm)
Spherical Two x4
Night Session (6pm)
Spherical Two x4
Sunday June 14
Afternoon Session (12pm)
Quarter-Finals
Night Session (6pm)
Semi-Finals & Remaining
What’s occurring on Sky Sports activities subsequent?
The 2026 World Cup of Darts will likely be held at Frankfurt’s Eissporthalle, as 40 nations compete for the coveted title within the distinctive pairs occasion.
The highest 4 ranked nations – primarily based on the bottom cumulative PDC rating of the 2 competing gamers – are seeded and can enter on the final 16 stage.
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Talking on Love The Darts, Chris Murphy explains why the World Cup of Darts is so essential for the game
This consists of high seeds England, four-time winners Netherlands, reigning champions Northern Eire and two-time champions Scotland.
The remaining 36 nations have been break up into 12 teams of three for the round-robin section – together with 12 seeded nations – from which every group winner will advance.
Who will win this 12 months’s World Cup of Darts? Northern Eire will likely be defending their title and you’ll watch all of the motion on Sky Sports activities from June 11-14. Stream darts and extra high sport with NOW.
