England will arrive at the 2026 BetVictor World Cup of Darts with the pairing everyone else has to measure themselves against, but the more interesting part of World Cup week may be what is happening behind Luke Littler and Luke Humphries.
The tournament begins at Frankfurt’s Eissporthalle on June 11, with 40 two-player nations competing in the PDC’s all-Doubles format for a boosted £500,000 prize fund. The top four ranked nations enter at the second-round stage, while the remaining 36 teams are split into 12 groups of three, with only the group winners moving through.
That format rarely gives big names much room to hide. One poor spell on doubles, one cold partner, or one awkward crowd night can turn a fancied nation into a story very quickly. And according to fresh World Cup discussion around the sport, England’s biggest rivals are carrying more uncertainty than usual.
England look the benchmark in Frankfurt
DartsNews’ latest World Cup preview framed England as the strongest pairing on paper, with Littler and Humphries at the front of the conversation. That is hardly a wild take. It puts the reigning world champion force of Littler alongside Humphries, still one of the most reliable elite operators in the sport.
The important point is not just England’s ceiling, but the contrast with the chasing pack. Finlay Williams, speaking on the DartsNews Podcast, summed up the wider field bluntly: “A lot of the top nations have weaker squads.” That line feels like the central question of the week.
England are not guaranteed anything. Last year’s World Cup proved that plainly enough, with Germany beating England before Northern Ireland completed a brilliant title run. But if this event is about pairs rhythm, calm finishing and handling national pressure, then Littler and Humphries start from a position of rare strength.
Scotland and Wales arrive reshaped
Scotland are the obvious example of a major nation with a different feel. Peter Wright is absent, leaving Gary Anderson to partner Cameron Menzies. Anderson and Wright were not just another pairing: they won Scotland’s first World Cup title together in 2019 and reached finals in 2015, 2018 and 2023.
Williams still backed the new Scottish line-up as the right one available, saying: “For my money, Gary Anderson and Cameron Menzies are probably the best combination we have.” That is a fair assessment, but it also underlines the shift. Menzies brings form and emotion; Anderson brings gravitas and history. Whether that becomes chemistry or tension is one of the tournament’s better subplots.
Wales face an even sharper identity change. Jonny Clayton is partnered by Nick Kenny, with Gerwyn Price absent. Clayton and Price won this event in 2020 and 2023, then reached the 2025 final before losing 10-9 to Northern Ireland. Kenny is no passenger, but replacing Price in a pairs event is a serious ask, especially when Wales must now build a new rhythm under tournament pressure.
Northern Ireland remain the champions to respect
If England are the benchmark, Northern Ireland are the proof that this tournament is not decided by rankings alone. Josh Rock and Daryl Gurney return as defending champions after beating the Republic of Ireland, Germany and Wales on last year’s Finals Day.
Williams placed them second in his own power ranking, saying: “I’ve gone for the defending champions, Northern Ireland, at number two.” He also highlighted why their pairing worked so well: “That Northern Ireland team, with Rock doing the scoring and Gurney hitting the doubles, it worked really well.”
The Netherlands and Germany add further intrigue. Michael van Gerwen and Gian van Veen give the Dutch obvious pedigree, but not total certainty, while Germany’s home campaign carries its own Ricardo Pietreczko question in front of a Frankfurt crowd. PDC Europe has billed the event as one of the sport’s major June showcases, and this year’s field gives it a properly live edge.
England may be the side to beat. The more revealing question is which rival looks settled enough to chase them when the doubles pressure bites.
Editor note – suggested internal links: World Cup of Darts hub / tournament guide; Luke Littler and Luke Humphries England coverage.