England will arrive at the 2026 BetVictor World Cup of Darts with the strongest possible billing and one very simple pressure point: Luke Littler and Luke Humphries now have to turn top-seed status into a proper run in Frankfurt.
The draw and schedule, detailed by Sky Sports, confirm that the 40-nation event will take place at the Eissporthalle from June 11-14, with every match shown live on Sky Sports. The top four nations — England, Netherlands, reigning champions Northern Ireland and Scotland — are seeded straight through to the last 16.
That gives England a short wait before their first assignment, but it also sharpens the spotlight. Littler and Humphries are two of the biggest names in the sport and will be expected to set the tone once the group winners are known.
England wait while the group stage takes shape
The PDC’s World Cup format remains one of the more distinctive events on the calendar. According to the PDC tournament page, 40 nations compete in the pairs event, with the 36 unseeded teams split into 12 round-robin groups of three. Only the group winners move through to join the four seeded sides in the last 16.
Opening group matches begin on Thursday June 11 at 6pm UK time. The losing teams return on Friday afternoon before the decisive group fixtures are played on Friday evening, after which the last-16 draw will be made. The knockout phase starts on Saturday June 13, with the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final scheduled for Sunday June 14.
For England, that means Littler and Humphries can watch the early chaos unfold before entering cold into sudden-death darts. That is the awkward beauty of the World Cup: seeding gives you protection, but it does not give you rhythm.
Northern Ireland defend as big nations circle
Northern Ireland return as defending champions through Josh Rock and Daryl Gurney, the pair who turned last year’s tournament into a landmark moment for their country. They are seeded third this time, behind England and the Netherlands, with Scotland fourth.
The Netherlands look particularly dangerous on paper, with Michael van Gerwen partnering Gian van Veen. It is a fascinating blend: Van Gerwen remains one of the sport’s defining big-stage figures, while Van Veen brings the freshness and confidence of a player increasingly central to Dutch darts’ next chapter.
Scotland’s pairing of Gary Anderson and Cameron Menzies will also attract plenty of attention. Anderson’s class in doubles-style pressure is obvious, while Menzies gives Scotland energy and unpredictability. That combination could be explosive if it settles early.
Wales face group route without Price
Wales, champions in 2020 and 2023, have to come through Group C against Lithuania and Thailand. Jonny Clayton leads their bid alongside debutant Nick Kenny, with Gerwyn Price absent from the Welsh team.
That changes the feel of the Welsh challenge. Clayton has the experience and touch for the format, but Wales no longer carry the same heavyweight intimidation factor without Price alongside him.
Elsewhere, Germany have home advantage in Group A against the Philippines and New Zealand, Australia meet USA and Canada in Group G, and the Republic of Ireland face Singapore and Uganda in Group D. A detailed tournament guide from DartsNews also underlines just how many credible routes to an upset this format can create.
That is why England’s draw is both kind and dangerous. Littler and Humphries avoid the group-stage grind, but when they finally step in, every missed double will carry the weight of a nation expecting them to win.