Mongolia will make its debut at the World Cup of Darts next month after qualifying via the Asian Tour Qualifiers on Sunday. The Asian nation secured its spot alongside Singapore and Thailand, marking another step forward on the global darts scene. Eight countries battled in Kuala Lumpur for the final World Cup tickets, in addition to the already qualified trio of Japan, the Philippines, and Hong Kong.
Mongolia underlined its rise with strong performances from Altantülkhüür Myagmarsüren and Ganzorig Lkhagvasüren, who led their nation for the first time to the prestigious team event in Frankfurt. In the group stage, Mongolia started convincingly with a win over Chinese Taipei, but a defeat against Brunei made the clash with hosts Malaysia decisive. In that do-or-die tie, the Mongolians edged it 4-2. Thanks to a better leg difference — 11 legs won compared to 10 for Chinese Taipei — Mongolia eventually finished above its rival despite an identical record.
Singapore enjoyed a flawless tournament in Group B. Veterans Paul Lim and Phuay Wey Tan recorded three emphatic wins over Thailand, Macau, and Pakistan, dropping only three legs. Thailand, by contrast, had to dig deep. In a nerve-wracking playoff against Chinese Taipei, Sarayut Ouamumpa and Sowaris Rodman survived two missed match darts from their opponents. The reward: a first World Cup appearance since 2023.
Earlier on Sunday, Asian Tour ranking leader Motomu Sakai secured his spot for Japan. He will be joined by Haruki Muramatsu, who narrowly kept Ryusei Azemoto at bay on the ranking by just 150 dollars. For the Philippines, Paolo Nebrida (winner of Event 12) and Alexis Toylo form the duo, while Man Lok Leung and Lok Yin Lee once again make up the Hong Kong team. Paul Lim will return to the World Cup of Darts at the age of 72.
In Europe, the final pieces also fell into place during the third weekend of the Challenge Tour. Italy will be represented by Michele Turetta and Riccardo Castelli, while Portugal pairs debutant Luis Camacho with the experienced José de Sousa. France sends debutant Nicolas Thuillier alongside Tour Card holder Thibault Tricole. For Hungary, Pál Szekely and Patrik Kovács form the team. Spain and Switzerland will field José Justicia and Marcel Walpen respectively. Slovenia returns to the big stage with Stefano Bozicek and Tour Card holder Benjamin Pratnemer. The World Cup of Darts field will be finalized on 11/5/2026. The last chances for Tour Card holders lie at the Players Championship double-header in Hildesheim and the Austrian Darts Open.
