This qualification pathway, recently recalibrated to broaden international representation, guarantees two African nations a coveted place at the sport’s most cosmopolitan spectacle. Uganda, seizing this structural opportunity with emphatic authority, carved their route to qualification in Nairobi, dismantling a densely populated field of 40 duos with a sequence of performances that bordered on the imperious.

From the outset, Ocheng and Said exuded an air of calculated inevitability. Their opening salvo saw them dispatch Kenyan opposition with a clinical 5-2 scoreline, a result they replicated with almost mechanical consistency in the subsequent round. These early encounters, though ostensibly routine, laid the psychological groundwork for what would become a procession of escalating dominance.

WORLD CUP OF DARTS HALL OF FAME – Facts, stats, history and honour roll

As the competition intensified, so too did the Ugandan pair’s aura of invincibility. Navigating the quarter-final phase with a composed yet assertive victory, they proceeded to dismantle yet another Kenyan pairing, unleashing a decisive burst of scoring ferocity that rendered resistance increasingly futile. By the time they reached the penultimate stage, their momentum had metastasised into something approaching inevitability, culminating in a commanding win that propelled them to the brink of historic qualification.

Awaiting them in the final were Malawi’s hopeful trailblazers, Rodgers Zako and Carnage Mkandawire, themselves authors of a remarkable run through the bracket. Yet even this spirited Malawian charge was insufficient to derail Uganda’s inexorable ascent. Ocheng and Said surged into an early lead with devastating efficiency, capturing seven of the opening eight legs in a display of almost ruthless superiority, before sealing an emphatic victory that etched their names into Ugandan sporting folklore.

Their success not only cements Uganda’s presence among the elite assembly of nations heading to Frankfurt, but also underscores the accelerating globalisation of darts, as emerging regions begin to assert themselves with increasing conviction. They now join a growing roster of qualified countries, with additional places still to be determined through forthcoming international qualifiers.

The tournament itself, set to unfold at the Eissporthalle, will feature forty national pairings competing across four days of high-stakes drama. Defending champions Northern Ireland darts team will return seeking to preserve their crown, as a significantly enhanced prize fund of £500,000 adds further gravitas to an already prestigious event.

DARTS PLAYER MERCHANDISE AND COLLECTABLES AT OUR DARTSWORLD STORE!

For Uganda, however, this tale transcends monetary incentive. It is a story of arrival, of ambition realised, and of a nation stepping, with unapologetic confidence, onto one of darts’ grandest stages.

2026 BetVictor World Cup of Darts

Competing Nations
Australia
Austria
Belgium
Canada
China
Croatia
Czechia
England
France
Germany
Hong Kong
Hungary
India
Italy
Japan
Latvia
Lithuania
Netherlands
New Zealand
Northern Ireland
Norway
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Republic of Ireland
Scotland
Slovenia
South Africa
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Uganda
USA
Wales

Qualifiers to confirm final competing nations
PDC Asian Tour Q1 (May 3)
PDC Asian Tour Q2 (May 3)
PDC Asian Tour Q3 (May 3)
CDLC Qualifier (TBC)
PDCNB Nation 5 (April 26)
PDCNB Nation 6 (April 26)

Where It All Began – The Birth of The World Cup of Darts

World Cup of Darts was not without controversy when the Professional Darts Corporation launched it in 2010. Debates about what nations qualified, who played for what side and whether the PDC should cross into this traditional WDF territory were all points of contention.

Barry Hearn had announced an attempt to buy the British Darts Organisation in 2009 but they soon rejected his £1million plus offer.

In a statement, following the BDO’s rejection, the PDC went on to arrange three brand new tournaments for 2010 to help the development of youth and women’s darts under their own banner: the PDC Under-21 World Championship, the PDC Women’s World Championship, and the PDC World Cup of Darts….read the rest

—–ENDS—–

Images: PDC

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Barry Hearn had announced an attempt to buy the British Darts Organisation in 2009 but they soon rejected his £1million plus offer.

In a statement, following the BDO’s rejection, the PDC went on to arrange three brand new tournaments for 2010 to help the development of youth and women’s darts under their own banner: the PDC Under-21 World Championship, the PDC Women’s World Championship, and the PDC World Cup of Darts.

From that point the World Cup of Darts underwent several incarnations. New formats, venues and then a fully revamped competition, as an exclusively pairs event, in 2023.

So far only England (5), Netherlands (4), Scotland (2), Wales (2), Australia and most recently Northern Ireland have lifted the trophy.

It will be of interest to see if the latest changes produce a winner from outside darts’ traditional major nations in the coming years. The surge in success of Belgian, German and Polish players suggests a possible continuation of the European domination, yet North America and several other regions are also blossoming once more.

Roll of Honour:

2010 Netherlands

(Raymond van Barneveld & Co Stompe) def Wales (Mark Webster & Barrie Bates) 4-2

2012 England

(Phil Taylor & Adrian Lewis) def Australia (Simon Whitlock & Paul Nicholson) 4-3

2013 England

(Phil Taylor & Adrian Lewis) def Belgium (Kim & Ronny Huybrechts) 3-1

2014 Netherlands

(Michael van Gerwen & Raymond van Barneveld) def England (Phil Taylor & Adrian Lewis) 3-0

2015 England

(Phil Taylor & Adrian Lewis) def Scotland (Gary Anderson & Peter Wright) 3-2

2016 England

(Phil Taylor & Adrian Lewis) def Netherlands (Michael van Gerwen & Raymond van Barneveld) 3-2

2017 Netherlands

(Michael van Gerwen & Raymond van Barneveld) def Wales (Gerwyn Price & Mark Webster) 3-1

2018 Netherlands

(Michael van Gerwen & Raymond van Barneveld) def Scotland (Peter Wright & Gary Anderson) 3-1

2019 Scotland

(Gary Anderson & Peter Wright) def Republic of Ireland (Steve Lennon & William O’Connor) 3-1

2020 Wales

(Gerwyn Price & Jonny Clayton) def England (Michael Smith & Rob Cross) 3-0

2021 Scotland

(Peter Wright & John Henderson) def Austria (Mensur Suljovic & Rowby-John Rodriguez) 3-1

2022 Australia

(Damon Heta & Simon Whitlock) def Wales (Gerwyn Price & Jonny Clayton) 3-1

2023 Wales

(Gerwyn Price & Jonny Clayton) def Scotland (Peter Wright & Gary Anderson)

2024 England

(Luke Humphries & Michael Smith) def Austria (Mensur Suljovic & R J Rodríguez)

2025 Northern Ireland

(Daryl Gurney & Josh Rock) def Wales (Jonny Clayton & Geryn Price)

Highest Averages:

118.10

Poland – (Krzysztof Ratajski & Krzysztof Kciuk) 2023

117.88

Netherlands – (Raymond van Barneveld & Michael Van Gerwen) 2014

—–ENDS—–

Image: PDC

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Darts World thought another World Champion might offer a view on the rights and wrongs of this tungsten tangle. 1983 Word Champion Keith Deller knows something about being the young gun but also played most of his career with Dennis. We caught up with him for a reaction.

Was Keith shocked at the early exit? And did he think the dream pairing of Humphries and Littler got some unfair criticism? Let’s ask him:

“It was a little surprising, yes. But pairs and singles are so different. You have to wait longer to throw, and it’s not a good rhythm for some. Ideally, you need a duo with a good scorer and a good finisher. I always thought the toughest draw would be against Germany, and Schindler played really well. England began slowly, and after they were put under pressure, they got into trouble.”

Of course, much was said about the criticism of Team England from multiple World Champion Dennis Priestley. The Yorkshire legend didn’t hold back, suggesting that the two Lukes let their country down. As someone who knows Dennis very well, what did Keith think of the comments?

“I don’t agree – it’s ridiculous to say that. If anything, Humphries and Littler let themselves down and just didn’t play to their potential. But they tried their best. You can’t play great all the time and win everything. At the end of the day, they never gelled. 

Dennis has his opinion, and he has every right to express it. But the lads also have the right to disagree and respond to it.”

Did the hostile German crowd play a part?

“It probably didn’t help, but those two are used to those kinds of crowds. It’s no worse than they might hear on a regular Premier League night. What bugs me the most is the whistling – I hate it. If I hear it, I just think, get them out. It’s something that really irritates me, and it always seems to happen in Germany. It needs to be looked at.”

Former World Champion Keith Deller and PDC Hall of Famer Russ Bray are coming to the Grosvenor Casino in Luton.

The darting royalty pair will share legendary stories from their years in the game and take part in a live Q&A.

There will even be an opportunity to step up to the oche and challenge the 1983 BDO World Champion – just don’t refuse the bullseye if Deller is sat on 138! You’ll also have the chance to get a photo with these icons.

The event takes place on Sunday, July 13th, from 4 pm. To grab tickets for this unmissable event, simply click on this link.

—–ENDS—–

Images: Winmau

The post Deller Backs Littler Over Priestley’s “Ridiculous” Comments appeared first on Darts World Magazine.

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After over a decade of trying, and for the first time competing without The History Maker Brendan Dolan, the boys finally made history of their own. Dolan, the long-time pioneer of Northern Irish darts, must have been watching on with glowing pride as his compatriots came through an epic encounter against two-time champions Wales to get their hands on that coveted trophy.

As with so many tournaments before it, the theme of this World Cup was drama – and plenty of it. The finale twisted and turned like a tungsten-fuelled tornado, culminating in a shoot-out leg for the ultimate climax. Before revisiting one of the greatest finals of all time, it’s worth reflecting on how both teams reached the showpiece.

Against Germany in the semi-final, Northern Ireland had already found their groove: Rock handled the heavy scoring while Gurney focused on the finishing. They occasionally wandered into each other’s territory, but that was the basic formula – and it worked a treat.

Euphoria was still high across Frankfurt, with German fans still buzzing from their win over England. When the hosts edged out the Aussies in a dramatic quarter-final, the party was in full swing by the time they faced Northern Ireland. But just as quickly as the balloons went up, the Irish went round and popped them – figuratively, of course. Schindy and Pikachu, (as they are affectionately known) saw their hopes burst as the boys in green steamrolled them 8-1. The story? Northern Ireland were sharp, Germany were blunt.

Wales had the tougher route, battling a Dutch team that – from day of the event – came flying out of the traps. The orange-shirted pairing of Noppert and Van Veen looked irresistible early on in this one too, taking a 4-3 lead at the break. But after the interval, the Welsh lit the furnace. Like two raging red dragons, they breathed fire and melted the Dutch resistance with a five-leg burst that sealed their spot in the final.

And so to the main event. Passion aplenty as the four warriors took to the stage: ‘Rocky‘ alongside his new Bullwinkle – Superchin himself – and an unflappable Iceman next to the greatest Ferret darts has ever known.

It had all the makings of a blockbuster – and that’s exactly what unfolded. Northern Ireland raced into a 2-0 lead, the biggest margin until the very end. Rock fired in maximums at a chaotic rate while Wales, scoring decently, relied on their superior finishing to keep things tight. After fourteen pulsating legs, the teams couldn’t be separated. The title would now be decided over a best of five.

Northern Ireland opened up a two-leg gap to move within one of glory. But those relentless red dragons roared back, surviving four match darts to force a decider. Having won the bull, Northern Ireland had the advantage. Rock’s heavy scoring – aided my a huge visit from his partner – left Gurney on double eight – a target he clearly prefers to double five. First dart missed. No matter. The pride of Derry composed himself, pinned it, and secured World Cup immortality.

Their screams of delight likely echoed all the way to Belfast. Classy as ever, Gezzy and Jonny took defeat graciously, despite their clear disappointment, offering heartfelt congratulations.

On a night where Northern Ireland stood victorious, it was another massive win for the great sport of darts.

Semi-Finals

Northern Ireland 8-1 Germany

Wales 8-5 Netherlands

Final

Northern Ireland 10-9 Wales

—–ENDS—–

Images: Jenny Segers / PDC Europe

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Josh Rock and Daryl Gurney recovered from 7-5 down to beat Gerwyn Price and Jonny Clayton in one of the most intense finals in World Cup history.

The deciding leg saw Rock and Gurney throw an 11-dart leg to fend off the challenge of two-time champions Wales to become the sixth nation to claim World Cup glory.

“We’ve made history for Northern Ireland and we’re so proud as a team,” said an emotional Rock.

“As a team we were fantastic and we fought hard all the way through.”

Gurney added: “I would like to congratulate Wales, it shows the class of the Welsh team to stay on stage and congratulate us.

“Jonny and Gezzy are legends of the game, I think they’ll go on and win big titles this year.

“Josh’s power scoring was amazing and I was there to clean up the finishing; I was never going to miss the double eight to win the title.

“I’m so proud of Josh and myself, I put higher regard on this title than any individual events I’ve won.”

Northern Ireland began the day with an 8-5 win over Republic of Ireland in the quarter-finals, before thrashing host nation Germany 8-1 in the semi-finals.

Meanwhile, Wales defeated Hong Kong 8-4 in the quarter-finals before overcoming Netherlands 8-5 in the semi-finals.

“We gave it our all but congratulations to those two [Rock and Gurney],” said Clayton.

“To be fair to Josh and Daryl they flew out the blocks in the last leg.

“Gezzy is a class act, I’m a proud man to have a teammate like him.”

Price added: “We started off really slowly, trying to get in the game was really difficult.

“Testament to the Northern Irish team, Josh’s scoring was unbelievable and we couldn’t keep up with them.

“At 9-9 we gave ourselves a chance but they were a bit better than us and they deserve it.”

Northern Ireland become the first new winners of the World Cup of Darts since Australia in 2022, who were defeated 8-7 by host nation Germany in the quarter-finals.

In the afternoon’s other last eight tie, Dutch duo Danny Noppert and Gian van Veen dispatched Czechia 8-2, before surrendering a 5-3 lead to Clayton and Price in the semi-finals.

2025 BetVictor World Cup of Darts

Sunday June 15

Afternoon Session

Quarter-Finals

Northern Ireland 8-5 Republic of Ireland

Germany 8-7 Australia

Wales 8-4 Hong Kong

Netherlands 8-2 Czechia

Evening Session

Semi-Finals

Northern Ireland 8-1 Germany

Wales 8-5 Netherlands

Final

Northern Ireland 10-9 Wales

——ENDS—–

Images: Jenny Segers/PDC Europe

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NORTHERN IRELAND 8-5 REPUBLIC OF IRELAND

An absolute belter to kick the quarter-finals off, with the lads from the North getting the better of their Irish neighbours in a curtain raiser full to the brim with excitement

The Eissporthalle exploded into life as all four, donned in various shades of green, kicked proceedings off at a blistering pace, trading big scores and setting the tone for what would become a thrilling encounter. At the interval, the teams were separated by just a single chalk, with each leg going with throw. Trailing slightly ahead of the restart, the Republic seized the advantage and began their surge to the winning line, leapfrogging their opponents to lead 5-4. But, disappointingly for O’Connor and Barry, they couldn’t hang on to that advantage as Northern Ireland – led by an inspired Josh Rock peppering the treble twenty – surged to victory in a clash that had quality written all over it. 

All four can take a big bow after producing highly credible individual performances for their respective countries. A great advert for Irish darts.

GERMANY 8-7 AUSTRALIA

Looking like the balloon might burst after their epic victory over tournament favourites England, Team Germany provided a spirited fightback to keep the party going for the hosts. It wasn’t the highest in terms of quality, but for drama, it was as good as it gets.

The opening few legs followed the same script as the Irish derby, all going with throw. A break apiece followed before Germany stood firm to take a 4-3 half-time lead. Back roared the Aussies with three on the bounce to put themselves in a commanding position. Once again, the duos exchanged legs, making the scoreline a precarious 7-5 as far as the partisan crowd was concerned.

When Heta missed tops for the match, it seemed to inject Schindi and Pikachu with renewed energy – not that they needed it, with the Frankfurt faithful providing it in abundance. The game swung once more in the Europeans’ direction and, after a nervy fourteenth leg, we were all square, giving the Germans a chance to throw for victory. Minutes later, much to the delight of the thousands in attendance, it was over. With Ricardo on his haunches in the background, The Wall stepped up and pinned the winning double – cue crowd eruption and wild celebrations.

It should be feisty later in a semi-final against Northern Ireland, which promises more drama and tungsten tension.

WALES 8-4 HONG KONG

Two-time World Cup champs Wales sent out a statement of intent louder than Gezzy’s roar. On the flip side, sole remaining Asian nation left Germany with their heads held high after what was a highly successful tournament for Hong Kong.

Leading 5-2, the Welsh looked like they were cruising into the semi-finals with maximums galore and a plethora of two-treble visits. But with Jonny comically and inadvertently leaving his team-mate bogey number finishes, the Hong Kong pair closed the gap – and had they pinned one of their two shots at double to level at 5-5, it could well have gotten very interesting. As soon as that opportunity came and went, Wales banged in an 11-darter and, from that point, eased to victory.

All in all, it was a colossal display from the Red Dragon pair, ending with an average just shy of the ton mark, seven 180s, and a very healthy 50% on doubles. On this form, they’ll be tough to beat this evening.

NETHERLANDS 8-2 CZECHIA

Another demolition job by the Dutch who, once they got motoring, never looked like stalling. Both teams struggled to find their rhythm early on, with the Czechs nicking the opening leg. But from that point, it was pretty much one-way traffic, with Gian and Danny becoming an orange blur in the distance.

This Netherlands outfit don’t drop many legs – and once again, it was a drama-free journey into the final session of the tournament. Despite not fully jettisoning the engines, the Dutch still managed a credible 93.63 average, and with almost half of their attempts at the outer ring finding the target, it was simply too much for a plucky Czech duo to live with.

Going off what we saw in the previous match, they may well need to go up a notch when they meet Wales later this evening. But the new-look Van Veen and Noppert connection have already flexed their muscles – and can step it up if needed. It all makes for a fascinating clash tonight.

—–ENDS—–

Images: PDC Europe / Jenny Segers

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And that wasn’t the only shock of the evening. The impressive Netherlands duo beating two-time winners Scotland was always on the cards – but a whitewash? No one saw that coming, not even the most passionate Dutch darts fan. If you nailed the correct score cast for both the Scotland and England games, you’re probably shopping for yachts right now.

We’re now down to the final eight. Here’s what went down in Germany tonight – and how the last four quarter-final spots for tomorrow afternoon were decided.

WALES 8-2 PHILIPPINES

Two-time World Cup of Darts champions Wales got off to an emphatic start, blowing the island nation Philippines out of the water. This rampant Red Dragon of Price and Clayton duo haven’t lost a knockout match since 2022 – and on this kind of power scoring performance, closing in on a high 90s average, that run looks hard to break. By the interval, Wales were 5-2 up, and at that point, it was theirs to lose. Which, of course, they didn’t.

Credit to the Asian pairing of Wayne Mardle’s favourite, Lourence Ilagan, and Paolo Nebrida. They scored reasonably well – though most of that was down to Nebrida. As they say, it takes two to tango, but Ilagan never really joined the dance. And when odd chances did come, neither could take advantage.

Gezzy and Mr Ferret will want to tidy up their doubles before facing the impressive Team Hong Kong tomorrow. Fortunately for them, their scoring was so good tonight they could afford a bit of faffing about at the end of legs. But their next Asian opponents will surely offer a far sterner test – and if the Welsh don’t sharpen their finishing, they might just get punished.

SCOTLAND 0-8 NETHERLANDS

Within quarter of an hour of walking on to I Would Walk 500 Miles, Ando and Snakey now face a flight home of similar distance to what the Proclaimers sang about. Take nothing away from the Dutch duo, who were as destructive as they were clinical. In contrast, Scotland just didn’t get going. Before taking to the stage, Wright referenced Paul Lim’s heroics at 71 years old and said he could go on that long if he wanted to. He probably aged enough during this contest to have reached that milestone.

In essence, Noppert and Van Veen were simply sensational – scoring heavily and barely missing a double. Even if the decorated and experienced Scottish pair had hit the heights they’ve reached for decades, it still would have been a tough test. It’s worth reminding everyone at this point that Gian van Veen is making his debut in this tournament. Against two of the greatest players in the history of the sport, he could have been forgiven for suffering a little stage fright. But there was absolutely no sign of that. Alongside the cool, calm and collected Noppie, Team Netherlands have laid down a massive marker and fired warning shots to the rest of the field.

ENGLAND 4-8 GERMANY

Well… that certainly wasn’t in the script – especially not in tournament sponsor BetVictor’s manual. Everyone said with the Luke duo – the best two on the planet – it was England’s to lose. But Schindler and Pietreczko ignored the odds and put in a belter of a show.

Despite famously defeating Germany in the 1966 final, English football fans are all too familiar with heartbreaking World Cup losses to this opposition. Now it’s happened in darts – and in all fairness, Deutschland deserved it. From 5-2 up at the break, the home nation extended the lead to go within one of victory and, after a mini Anglo revival, sewed things up.

Team Germany knew they’d have to be right on song to cause an upset. Well, they hit all the right notes and produced a performance that will go down in World Cup history. As in most matches that end with similar averages, it was the doubles that made the difference – and it was a department where England struggled, ultimately sealing their fate. If Littler wasn’t fond of playing on German soil over there beforehand, this won’t have done much to soften his mood. Together with Cool Hand, the pair leave Frankfurt with MBEs – but, disappointingly, not with the trophy.

ARGENTINA 1-8 AUSTRALIA

The former World Cup winning pairing of Heta and Whitlock eased effortlessly into the quarter-finals against an Argentinian team who, unfortunately, couldn’t replicate their impressive group stage displays.

It was an Aussie team who weren’t firing on all cylinders but never looked in danger. There were a few messy legs at the start, but the Down Under duo nicked them all, and a little before it reached 5-0, things looked done and dusted. Perhaps if the South Americans had produced what they did in the group section, we might have been looking at a different story – that said, Australia clearly had extra gears to use if needed. All that aside, the Antipodeans will know they need to retune the engine ahead of Germany tomorrow – something they’ll be well aware of.

Quarter-Final Line Up

Northern Ireland v Republic Of Ireland

Germany v Australia

Wales v Hong Kong

Netherlands v Czechia

—–ENDS—–

Images: Jenny Segers / PDC Europe

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Despite Germany’s heroics, the performance of the night was produced by Netherlands, as Danny Noppert and Gian van Veen whitewashed Scottish icons Gary Anderson and Peter Wright 8-0.

The Dutch duo won eight legs without reply to breeze through the round-robin phase with two victories, and they extended their astonishing winning run to 16 legs in sweeping aside Scotland.

Scotland’s solitary attempts at double came in the eighth and final leg of the contest, with the Netherlands averaging 100.20 to confirm their place in Finals Day.

“We both felt great in practice today and we played a phenomenal game tonight,” claimed Van Veen, who is enjoying a dream World Cup debut.

“I said to Danny earlier ‘We’re yet to drop a leg, let’s keep it that way’, but of course that was a joke!

“Before tonight I had never beaten Peter or Gary. They are two legends of the game, so to do the double and beat them both is amazing!”

Schindler and Pietreczko – roared on by the German crowd – stormed to a sensational 8-4 victory over the world’s top two players to continue their bid for World Cup glory at the Eissporthalle.

Humphries and Littler were the overwhelming 4/11 pre-tournament favourites with title sponsor BetVictor, but their highly-anticipated debut as a partnership culminated in a shock early exit.

There was nothing to separate the teams after four legs, but a terrific five-leg burst from the German duo catapulted them to the brink of victory at 7-2, with World Cup debutant Pietreczko taking centre stage.

The 30-year-old landed nerveless 106 and 101 finishes during this spell, before fending off a late rally from Humphries and Littler to seal the deal with a clinical 62 combination.

Germany will now play 2022 champions Australia for a place in the semi-finals, and Schindler was buoyant after progressing to a third World Cup quarter-final in four years.

“We believed in ourselves, and that was the key,” declared Schindler. “The double 16s from Ricardo when it mattered just went in, so we’re really happy.

“This is a big win for us. German darts is in good shape right now, and we’re pushing forward as much as we can.”

Saturday’s second round action also saw Gerwyn Price and Jonny Clayton begin their pursuit of a third World Cup crown with an 8-2 win over the Philippines, who had dumped out Belgium in the round-robin phase.

Following a sequence of three consecutive breaks to kick off proceedings, Wales soon took control, winning seven of the last eight legs to advance with an impressive 96.43 average.

“It’s a great start. We did a job tonight, and that’s all that counts,” insisted Welsh number one Clayton.

“When you get to this stage of the tournament, every game is tough, but we’re confident in our game.

“We’re here to win this cup and we always play well together, so look out!”

Wales will now play Hong Kong, after Man Lok Leung and Lok Yin Lee produced a devastating display of doubling to defeat 2024 quarter-finalists Sweden.

Leung was the star of the show, averaging 102 individually, pinning all six of his attempts at a double and converting 81, 101 and 135 finishes to steer his side to a landmark 8-4 victory.

“I’m very happy that my partner trusted me,” reflected Leung, fresh from powering Hong Kong into their second World Cup quarter-final.

“I would like to thank everyone in Hong Kong and the Asian fans who watched us and supported us, and we will keep trying our best.”

Fourth seeds Northern Ireland kicked off their campaign with an 8-2 win against South Africa, as their new-look pairing of Josh Rock and Daryl Gurney prevailed in a fiery affair against Devon Petersen and Cameron Carolissen.

There was no shortage of intensity up on stage, with Rock and Gurney reeling off four straight legs to set up an enthralling clash against 2019 runners-up Republic of Ireland.

William O’Connor and Keane Barry eased through to the last eight with a resounding 8-3 success over Switzerland, capitalising on their group stage reprieve to progress in Frankfurt.

Australia also ran out emphatic winners in their last 16 tussle with debutants Argentina, as Damon Heta and Simon Whitlock completed an 8-1 rout of Jesus Salate and Victor Guillin, who acquitted themselves with aplomb on their big stage bow.

Elsewhere, Karel Sedlacek and Petr Krivka broke new ground with an 8-3 thumping of Malaysia in Saturday’s opening tie, as Czechia reached the quarter-finals for the first time in World Cup history.

The quarter-finals, semi-finals and final will now take place during a bumper double session on Sunday, as the remaining eight nations compete for the prestigious title at the Eissporthalle.

Wales have been installed as the new tournament favourites at 15/8, ahead of Netherlands at 9/4 and Northern Ireland at 9/2, while host nation Germany are priced at 6/1 to claim a landmark title.

The BetVictor World Cup of Darts is being broadcast on Sky Sports for viewers in the UK & Ireland, through the PDC’s international broadcast partners, including DAZN and Viaplay, and on PDCTV for Rest of the World Subscribers.

Click here for match stats & results.

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

——ENDS—–

Images: Jenny Segers / PDC Europe

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Asia may be where the sun rises, but the standard of darts is also on the up – and this afternoon provided the perfect example. Paired together for the third successive year, the duo of Lok Yin Lee and Man Lok Leung had never gone beyond the first round. Now, they’re in dreamland, eyeing up a tasty last-eight clash with former double champions Wales.

Leung – who must go through at least three cans of hairspray each morning – was in scintillating form from the off. Backed up by compatriot Lee, who continues to rock the hoodie-under-the-shirt look, the pair clicked into gear immediately. After racing into a 3-1 lead, Hong Kong briefly faltered. Inspired by skipper Jeff De Graaf, the Swedes clawed their way back to level the match. But from that point, it was plain sailing for the Asian lads. Leung fired in 180s for fun, and both players were deadly on the outer ring. That combination of heavy scoring and pinpoint finishing earned them a well-deserved 8-4 victory and a plethora of new fans.

Next up, the first of the four top-seeded nations took to the stage. Northern Ireland, sporting their all-new combo of Josh Rock and Daryl Gurney, looked sharp from the off. After grabbing an early break, the boys in green soon stretched their lead to 4-1 and were looking comfortable.

A glance at the stats tells the tale: South Africa actually outscored their opponents but couldn’t hit a double when it mattered. The 8-2 scoreline perhaps flattered Northern Ireland, but that’s darts – if you can’t finish, you don’t win. There’s clearly more fuel in the tank for the Rock-Gurney partnership, who will be hoping to finish as strongly as they started next time out. The result means we’re guaranteed Irish representation in the semi-finals – but will it be the boys from the north or the lads from the south?

That brings us neatly to the Republic of Ireland’s triumph over a Swiss outfit that never really got out of first gear. O’Connor and Barry weren’t exactly at their brilliant best, but the truth is they didn’t need to be. The gas pedal was there if required. Surging into a 5-2 advantage at the break, Ireland were in total control. The Swiss offered very little resistance, struggling to score big and, when the rare chance came, struggling even more to finish. The 8-3 final score felt about right, although the few legs Switzerland did win seemed to take forever.

As for the other winners from the opening knockout ties: step forward Czechia. I am reliably informed that Petr Křivka did indeed locate his lost tooth – it’s now back where it belongs. Malaysia looked like they might pose the Eastern-ish Europeans a threat, but never really got the engines started. 

Three legs in, with the Czechs taking the lot, it already felt like a quick night’s work. By the break, what had started as a hill became a mountain, with the Asians staring down the barrel of a 6-1 deficit. Tengku Shah and Tan Jenn Ming eventually added some respectability to the scoreline, but the damage was long done. For the first time in World Cup history, Czechia will line up in the quarter-finals. The reward? A showdown with either Scotland or the Netherlands – so no, it doesn’t get any easier.

Four down, four to go. By around 10pm tonight, we’ll know our final eight.

Afternoon Session Results

Second Round
Malaysia 3-8 Czechia
Hong Kong 8-4 Sweden
Switzerland 3-8 Republic of Ireland
Northern Ireland 8-2 South Africa

—–ENDs—–

Images: Jenny Segers / PDC Europe

The post Hong Kong Heroics Leave Sweden in a Spin appeared first on Darts World Magazine.

The post Hong Kong Heroics Leave Sweden in a Spin appeared first on Darts World Magazine.

SWEDEN 3-4 FRANCE (Sweden win Group G)

It was quite the dramatic start to the evening’s action, with France winning the battle-but Sweden winning the war. In a nervy opener, both teams seemed determined to invent new and bizarre ways to miss doubles. With Lukasiak visibly struggling, it was De Graaf who stepped up and found the big scores-though it still took the Scandinavian outfit 15 darts to pin their first double. Something they’ll want to address before the next round.

The Swedes knew before the match that three legs would be enough-but at 3–1 down, things got twitchy. France had two match darts to seal it but let them slip, handing Sweden a vital lifeline. Oskar then clicked into gear, Jeff kept doing the business, and together they clawed it back-dodging one final bullet in the process-to secure the crucial legs they needed and become the first nation through to the knockout stage.

CZECHIA 4-2 INDIA (Czechia win Group J)

The script for the Czech duo followed the same booklet as the Swedes: win three legs, and it didn’t matter what else happened. In what should have been a far more straightforward scene, Karel and Petr nearly fluffed their lines, allowing India to sneak into a 2–1 lead.

Fortunately for the European pair, they managed to bag the necessary two legs before their Asian opponents did -sparing any blushes. And just for good measure, they grabbed the win as well. There were no cartwheels of celebration from Křivka, but he did appear to lose a tooth in the post-match euphoria. That’s got to be a first. Tonight, he’ll pop it under his pillow and Evil Charlie will swap it for a fiver.

JAPAN 1-4 SWITZERLAND (Switzerland win Group K)

An excellent display from the Swiss pairing saw them sail into the next round. This was arguably the toughest group to call-and so it proved, with the group winners ultimately decided on leg difference.

Japan’s decision not to send Goto in first, despite him being the more dominant of the two this afternoon, was baffling-and may well have cost them a spot in tomorrow’s line-up. We’ll never know. But full credit to Switzerland, who barely put a foot wrong and fully deserve their place in the next round.

REPUBLIC OF IRELAND 2-4 CHINA (Ireland win Group D)

The luck of the Irish certainly came into play as the boys in green sneaked into the last 16 on legs won against throw. Confused? Yep, me too. All three group games ended 4–2, with each nation picking up one win apiece. But with Ireland bagging three legs against the darts-compared to two each for China and Gibraltar-that’s how it was decided.

Willie and Keane didn’t quite hit the heights they managed against Gibraltar, and at the end of the match, no one seemed entirely sure who had actually topped the group. So Mr Barry can stop punching his darts case-he’s going to need it in one piece for tomorrow.

MALAYSIA 4-1 DENMARK (Malaysia win Group F)

Asia will be represented in the knockout stages after Malaysia made it past round one for the first time. OK, so this is only their fourth World Cup appearance-but still, a fine feather in their cap. They arrived in Frankfurt winless, and they’ll leave with at least two historic victories

.

If Group D was complicated, this one was refreshingly straightforward. With both teams having beaten the hapless Canadians, it was simply a case of winner takes all. Denmark, led by the pony-tailed Benjamin Reus – seemingly working through his full repertoire of hairstyles – scored well, hitting three of their four maximums, But at the business end of the legs, the Nordic lads faltered and Malaysia just did the better job on the outer ring.

HONG KONG 4-0 BAHRAIN (Hong Kong win Group I)

And the largest continent on the planet is guaranteed at least two representatives in tomorrow’s last 16, as Hong Kong booked their spot with ease-and may well be Asia’s best hope for a deep run. Bahrain’s Morgan Freeman lookalike, Sadeq Mohamed, and his compatriot Hasan Bucheeri are clearly better players than they showed at this event-but nerves obviously played a part as they struggled on the big stage.

The group was effectively decided within five minutes, with Hong Kong racing to the two-leg mark they needed. And to be honest, it never looked in doubt. Bahrain not only had to win-but win big. Sadly for them, they return home still searching for that elusive first World Cup victory. 

POLAND 2-4 NORWAY (South Africa win Group E)

Double trouble for the strong Poles saw them crash out, as South Africa unexpectedly topped the pile. Everything about this match screamed a Polska win-but untypically for their duo, they struggled to see out the legs, despite having more attempts at the outer ring than their opponents.

So, without having to do much beyond sitting back, waving a Norwegian flag, and waiting anxiously, Devon and Cameron nicked the group and will live to fight another day. South Africa might not be the best team in the tournament-but when it comes to national passion, they’re hard to beat.

BELGIUM 3-4 PHILIPPINES (Philippines win Group B)

The first massive shock of this year’s World Cup saw the decorated and hotly tipped Belgian duo crash out of the tournament at the opening hurdle for the very first time. Cruising at 3–0 and looking a sure bet for the knockout draw, the highly fancied Flemish flingers somehow let their strong advantage slip, allowing the plucky Filipino duo to claw it back to parity.

In a straight shoot-out for a place in the last 16, it came down to a last-leg decider-one Belgium really should have won. But after crucial match darts came and went, the Asians pinned double three for a sensational win and a huge upset. 

NETHERLANDS 4-0 HUNGARY (Netherlands win Group A)

It was a stroll in the park for the Dutch pairing as they glided effortlessly into the next phase. Needing only a single leg to guarantee qualification, they did it in less time than it takes to boil an egg. Once passage was sealed, Danny and Gian didn’t need to find any extra gears as they comfortably saw off a Hungarian duo who offered little resistance.

It wasn’t the dynamic, pulsating display we saw yesterday-but it didn’t need to be, and they’ve ensured there’s plenty left in the tank for whoever they face tomorrow. Make no mistake: this is a team most nations will want to avoid. And as I’m writing this before Duzza does the draw-it’ll be interesting to read it back later after we know who they will meet next.

GERMANY 4-0 SINGAPORE (Germany win Group C)

Much to the delight of the majority of the 4,000 fans inside the Eissporthalle, the hosts are safely through to round two after a destructive performance, averaging just shy of 95 to comfortably navigate the group.

This time, there were no heroics from 71-year-old Singapore legend Paul Lim, who bows out this year with his typical distinction. Perhaps it’s time they started scouting nursing homes for Singapore’s next big star-surely there’s another diamond out there just waiting to shine.

AUSTRIA 1-4 AUSTRALIA (Australia win Group H)

The former champs, Australia, won their shoot-out clash with last year’s runners-up, Austria, to stay on course for a second crown with another fantastic display. It was a solid showing from the European outfit, led by World Cup stalwart Mensur Suljović, but they’ll be left cursing their finishing.

But it was the other seasoned campaigner on the oche who really delivered. Together with the always impressive Damon Heta, Simon Whitlock helped storm the Aussies into the last 16. It could have been a different story-both nations had six shots at doubles-but the scoreline tells you how that worked out. That proved the pivotal difference and the boys from Down Under remain as ones to watch.

NEW ZEALAND 3-4 ARGENTINA (Argentina win Group L)

It’s a dream debut for the Latin Americans, who have been one of the stories of the tournament. Relative unknowns before the action in Frankfurt began, they’ve certainly made their mark. For Jesús Salate and Víctor Guillín, they’ve carved their names into national darting history-and they’re not done yet.

It was a contest worthy of bringing the group stage curtain down-a shoot-out that went the full distance. After Mark Cleaver agonisingly missed two match darts that would have sent the Kiwis through, Argentina made no mistake and took full advantage, claiming the final spot in the knockout draw.

So, with the group stage curtain drawn, the knockout line-up is complete. Asia celebrates multiple representatives, the Dutch and Aussies look as dangerous as ever, and Argentina’s dream debut rolls on. Spare a thought for Belgium and Poland, who will be wondering how it all slipped away. Next stop: the business end of the tournament-where the margins get finer, the pressure cranks up, and the quest for World Cup glory truly begins.

It’s now over to former Premier League star and three-time Lakeside World Champion Glen Durrant to pick out the numbers and reveal who will face who tomorrow.

SECOND ROUND DRAW 

England (1) v Germany

Argentina v Australia

Northern Ireland (4) v South Africa

Switzerland v Republic of Ireland

Wales (2) v Philippines

Hong Kong v Sweden

Scotland (3) v Netherlands

Malaysia v Czechia

—–ENDS—–

Images: Jenny Segers/PDC Europe

The post Shock Exits and Fairytale Debuts as World Cup Knockout Line-Up Set appeared first on Darts World Magazine.

The post Shock Exits and Fairytale Debuts as World Cup Knockout Line-Up Set appeared first on Darts World Magazine.