World Cup of Darts 2026: Everything You Need To Know

The BetVictor World Cup of Darts returns this week as 40 nations battle for international glory in one of the most unique events on the PDC calendar.

While most major tournaments focus on individual success, the World Cup is all about national pride, teamwork and partnership. For four days in Frankfurt, some of the biggest names in world darts will put rivalries aside and join forces with their compatriots in pursuit of the coveted title.

What Is The World Cup Of Darts?

First staged in 2010, the World Cup of Darts is the PDC’s annual international team tournament.

Each nation is represented by a pair of players, creating a very different dynamic from the sport’s traditional individual events. Communication, chemistry and handling pressure together become just as important as scoring power and finishing ability.

It is the only major televised PDC event where players compete under their national flags, making it one of the most emotional and passionate tournaments in the darts calendar.

Where Is It Held?

The 2026 World Cup of Darts takes place from June 11-14 at the Eissporthalle in Frankfurt, Germany. The venue has become the tournament’s established home and regularly provides one of the loudest atmospheres seen anywhere in professional darts.

How Do Nations Qualify?

A total of 40 nations will compete in this year’s event. Each country is represented by two players.

For the leading darting nations, teams are generally selected based on the PDC Order of Merit rankings, with the two highest-ranked eligible players earning selection.

Other nations qualify through regional ranking systems and dedicated qualifying events, ensuring representation from every corner of the globe. The tournament continues to expand internationally, with new nations regularly joining the field.

How Does The Format Work?

• The Byes: The top four seeded nations (England, Netherlands, Northern Ireland, and Scotland) receive a direct bye into the knockout stages.

• The Group Stage: The remaining 36 teams are divided into 12 groups of three. Only the group winners advance to join the seeds in the Last 16.

• Strictly Doubles: One of the most distinctive aspects of the modern World Cup of Darts is that every match is played in a doubles format. There are no singles matches, meaning teammates must throw alternately throughout the entire leg. This format places an immense emphasis on teamwork and frequently produces massive underdog upsets.

Check out the full draw for the 2026 World Cup of darts HERE

2026 Ones to Watch, Debuts & Dark Horses

The 2026 edition features some of the most fascinating team dynamics ever seen at the World Cup, thanks to big-name debuts and unexpected lineup reshuffles.

• England’s Redemption Mission: Top seeds England return with the star-studded pairing of Luke Humphries and Luke Littler. While they are heavily favoured on paper, they are hunting for revenge. On their combined debut last year, the duo suffered a shocking, early knockout at the hands of host-nation Germany. This year, the English camp is speaking about a hyper-focused determination to rectify that collapse and bring the trophy home.

• The Sizzling Scottish Debut: Scotland is bringing one of the most highly anticipated, entertaining pairings to Frankfurt. Peter Wright’s recent slip in form means that the legendary Gary Anderson is joined by World Cup debutant Cameron Menzies. Menzies’ explosive energy combined with Anderson’s veteran experience makes this an absolute must-watch duo as Scotland looks to bounce back from last year’s brutal 8-0 exit to the Dutch.

• The Resurgent Dutch & New-Look Welsh: Four-time champions Netherlands boast a ferocious new look. After missing last year’s event entirely, Michael van Gerwen makes his World Cup return alongside World No. 3 Gian van Veen. Meanwhile, Wales faces an unprecedented uphill battle. With Gerwyn Price declaring himself unavailable, two-time champion Jonny Clayton must act as the ultimate mentor to debutant  World No. 60 Nick Kenny, forcing the Welsh out of the top-four seedings entirely.

• The Dark Horses: Reigning champions Northern Ireland return with Josh Rock and Daryl Gurney. Rock has been in stellar form, recently claiming a Euro Tour title to slide into the world’s top 8. Elsewhere, the host-nation Germany (Martin Schindler and Ricardo Pietreczko) will have a volatile, whistling home crowd on their side, while the dangerous Belgian pairing of Dimitri Van den Bergh and Mike De Decker will be looking to tear up the recent form guides and move through the bracket.

• The History Makers: Keep an eye out for Mongolia and Trinidad & Tobago, who are both making their historic, first-ever appearances at the World Cup of Darts this year!

World Cup Records & Mind-Blowing Facts

Forget standard tournament stats. The World Cup of Darts holds some of the most unique records in the history of the sport:

• The Ultimate Standard: The record for the highest team average in a World Cup match doesn’t belong to England or the Netherlands. It belongs to Poland! Krzysztof Ratajski and Sebastian Białecki combined for a staggering 118.10 average during a standard doubles match in 2023.

• Defending the Crown: Reigning champions Northern Ireland made history last year when Josh Rock and Daryl Gurney secured their country’s first-ever title. If they win it again this week, they will become the first nation to successfully retain the World Cup since the Netherlands back in 2018.

• The Holy Trinity of Duos: In the history of the tournament, only three specific player pairings have ever managed to win the World Cup multiple times together. Phil Taylor and Adrian Lewis dominated with four titles for England, Michael van Gerwen and Raymond van Barneveld captured three for the Netherlands, while Gerwyn Price and Jonny Clayton lifted it twice for Wales.

• The Ultimate Teammate: Legendary Dutchman Raymond van Barneveld holds the unique distinction of being the first player to win the World Cup of Darts with two different partners, lifting the trophy with Co Stompé in 2010 and Michael van Gerwen in 2014.

• Defying Time: Singapore’s ageless icon Paul Lim is back again! At 72 years old, he continues to break his own record as the oldest player to ever compete in a major televised PDC event.

Why Fans Love The World Cup of Darts

The World Cup often delivers moments that simply don’t happen elsewhere.

Players who spend most of the year competing against one another as rivals suddenly become teammates. Underdog nations can ride momentum and national pride to upset some of the sport’s biggest stars. The doubles format also creates pressure-filled situations where communication and trust are every bit as important as talent.

For many fans, it is one of the most entertaining and unpredictable tournaments of the entire season.

How To Watch

The World Cup of Darts will be broadcast live on Sky Sports in the United Kingdom, with international broadcast partners carrying the action to homes across the globe. Live coverage runs across all four days from the Eissporthalle.

Follow The Tournament With Online Darts

Online Darts will be providing extensive coverage throughout the 2026 World Cup of Darts, including:

• Daily news and reaction
• Match reports
• Player interviews
• Deep-dive analysis and opinion pieces
• Live Social media updates directly from Frankfurt
• Video content across our digital platforms

Whether you’re supporting one of the favourites or cheering on an underdog nation, stay tuned to Online Darts throughout the week for all the latest from the World Cup of Darts.

The race to become Team World Champions starts now.