Germany Dump Out England Dream Team as World Cup of Darts Heats Up in Frankfurt

A thrilling night of darts in Frankfurt saw Germany’s Martin Schindler and Ricardo Pietreczko pull off a remarkable upset at the BetVictor World Cup of Darts, defeating the heavily favored English duo of Luke Humphries and Luke Littler in a commanding 8-4 victory.

Roared on by a passionate home crowd at the Eissporthalle, Schindler and Pietreczko delivered a performance full of belief and precision. Facing off against the top two ranked players in the world, the German pair showcased nerves of steel and clinical finishing to continue their impressive campaign and book a place in the quarter-finals.

England, led by reigning world number one Humphries and teenage sensation Littler, entered the tournament as clear 4/11 favorites according to BetVictor. However, their much-hyped partnership ended prematurely, as they were unable to handle the pressure from the inspired German side.

The match started evenly, with both teams locked at 2-2 after the opening legs. But then came a game-changing surge from the Germans, who won five legs on the bounce to storm into a 7-2 lead. Pietreczko, making his debut in the World Cup, was particularly outstanding, landing high-pressure checkouts of 106 and 101 to break England’s rhythm.

Despite a late push from the English pair, Pietreczko sealed the deal with a calm 62 finish, completing one of the most memorable nights in recent German darts history.

Reflecting on the victory, Schindler expressed confidence and joy: “We believed in ourselves, and that was the key. Ricardo’s finishing on double 16 under pressure was amazing. This is a huge result for us—German darts is on the rise, and we’re proud to be part of it.”

Germany now faces the formidable 2022 champions Australia, who eased past Argentina with an emphatic 8-1 win. The Australian team of Damon Heta and Simon Whitlock showed their class, dominating the debutant Argentine side of Jesus Salate and Victor Guillin.

While Germany’s win stole the headlines, the most dominant performance of the night came from the Netherlands. Danny Noppert and Gian van Veen put on a masterclass, whitewashing Scottish legends Gary Anderson and Peter Wright 8-0. The Dutch duo continued their unbeaten streak, extending their leg-winning run to 16 as they sailed into the final day of competition.

Van Veen, also making his World Cup debut, was elated: “We were feeling great in practice and it carried over on stage. I had never beaten Gary or Peter before, so to do it in this fashion is just unbelievable.”

Elsewhere, Wales began their pursuit of a third World Cup title in solid form. Gerwyn Price and Jonny Clayton brushed aside the Philippines with an 8-2 victory, posting a strong 96.43 average. After a tense start featuring three breaks of throw, the Welsh pair took control and never looked back.

Clayton, the Welsh number one, was pleased with the result: “It was a great way to start the knockout stages. Every match from here on is tough, but we’re confident and focused on lifting that trophy again.”

Wales will now take on Hong Kong in the next round. The team of Man Lok Leung and Lok Yin Lee impressed with their clinical display, defeating Sweden 8-4. Leung stood out, nailing all six of his double attempts and finishing with a personal average of 102, including notable checkouts of 81, 101, and 135.

Meanwhile, Northern Ireland’s new pairing of Josh Rock and Daryl Gurney got off to a flying start, dispatching South Africa 8-2 in a high-energy encounter. Their next challenge will come against the Republic of Ireland, who advanced with a comfortable 8-3 win over Switzerland.

In another historic moment, Czechia reached their first-ever World Cup quarter-final. Karel Sedlacek and Petr Krivka powered past Malaysia 8-3 to secure a place among the final eight.

With only eight nations left in the hunt, all eyes turn to Sunday’s double session, where the quarter-finals, semi-finals, and final will be contested. The stage is set for a dramatic conclusion as teams battle it out for one of darts’ most prestigious titles.

Germany Dump Out England Dream Team as World Cup of Darts Heats Up in Frankfurt

2025 BetVictor World Cup of Darts

Saturday June 14

Second Round

Afternoon Session

Czechia 8-3 Malaysia

Hong Kong 8-4 Sweden

Republic of Ireland 8-3 Switzerland

Northern Ireland 8-2 South Africa

Evening Session

Wales 8-2 Philippines

Netherlands 8-0 Scotland

Germany 8-4 England

Australia 8-1 Argentina

Sunday June 15

Afternoon Session (1300 local time)

Quarter-Finals

Northern Ireland v Republic of Ireland

Germany v Australia

Wales v Hong Kong

Netherlands v Czechia

Best of 15 legs

Evening Session (1900 local time)

Semi-Finals

Germany/Australia v Northern Ireland/Republic of Ireland

Wales/Hong Kong v Netherlands/Czechia

Best of 15 legs

Final

v

Best of 19 legs