Michael van Gerwen enters his 11th World Cup in a new-look Netherlands team alongside Dutch number one and world number three Gian van Veen, with the 37-year-old also in fine form for the 2026 BetVictor World Cup of Darts which begins later today.
The seven-time Premier League champion prevailed in the Nordic Darts Masters last weekend – his second World Series title of 2026 – pipping Humphries in a last-leg decider.
“It’s always nice when you go into the tournament with a win in your pocket,” affirmed Van Gerwen, a three-time World Cup of Darts winner.
“It’s a lovely tournament to play in and I haven’t played with Gian.
“We’re going to give it a fantastic go, and we are one of the favourites.”
Netherlands are the second seeds at this year’s World Cup of Darts, with reigning champions Northern Ireland and Scotland the third and fourth seeds respectively, and they will enter the tournament alongside England at the last 16 stage.
So far only England (5), Netherlands (4), Scotland (2), Wales (2), Australia and most recently Northern Ireland have lifted the trophy. Only the first of those two have successfully defended it.
Michael Van Gerwen has won the the World Cup for the Netherlands three times (between 2014 and 2018) all with Raymond Van Barneveld. The Netherlands also claimed the inaugural event in 2010.
Can the new pairing join the legendary Dutch champions and draw level with England?
The 2026 BetVictor World Cup of Darts will be broadcast on Sky Sports for viewers in the UK & Ireland, through the PDC’s international broadcast partners, including DAZN, Viaplay and VTM, and on PDCTV for Rest of the World Subscribers.
Images: PDC
