England are World Cup of Darts champions for a sixth time after Luke Littler and Luke Humphries produced a brilliant 10-5 win over the Netherlands in Frankfurt. Littler claimed his first World Cup title, Humphries sealed his second, and England saved their best performance of the tournament for the final against Michael van Gerwen and Gian van Veen.
The number one seeds averaged 104.77 as a pair, turning the biggest match of the week into a dominant English victory at the Eissporthalle. Humphries sealed the title on double eight after Littler helped drive England into control, completing a final display that turned the hype around their partnership into another World Cup crown.
The Netherlands started with the darts and Van Gerwen opened the final with a 180 in his first visit. Van Veen missed double 16 for a 102 finish, but the Dutch had enough time in hand for Van Gerwen to complete a 13-dart hold. England answered straight away. Humphries hit a maximum of his own in the second leg, and Littler levelled the match with a 50 checkout via treble 10 and double 10. Van Gerwen then struck again, taking out 113 on tops after Humphries had landed another pressure 180. That put the Netherlands 2-1 ahead, but it was the last time the Dutch led.
Humphries produced a 171 set-up in the fourth leg to leave Littler double eight, and the teenager eventually pinned it with his third dart to bring England back to 2-2. The next leg brought 180s from both Van Veen and Littler, before Humphries missed two darts at double and Van Gerwen failed to punish. Littler returned on double 10 to send England off stage 3-2 up at the first break. That was the first real shift in the final. Humphries took out 81 on double 12 for 4-2, England broke again for 5-2, and Littler held on tops to make it five legs in a row for the top seeds.
Van Gerwen stopped the run with double 18 for a 13-dart hold, but England killed the brief Dutch response immediately. Humphries cleaned up 25 on double four to make it 7-3 at the second break, leaving Van Gerwen and Van Veen chasing from distance. Van Veen kept the Netherlands alive after the interval, finishing 64 in two darts after Littler missed two at double 12 for a 78 checkout. England did not let the gap narrow. Humphries missed tops for a 106 finish in the next leg, but the Dutch were not on a finish and Littler returned to move England 8-4 ahead. Van Gerwen held on double 16 for 8-5, before the last major Dutch chance arrived in the 14th leg. Van Veen and Humphries traded 180s, Van Gerwen fired in a 174 to leave 16, but the Netherlands missed their darts to stay in touch. Van Gerwen later bust his score on double four, and Humphries punished the escape on double 20. England began the 15th leg with four perfect darts. When Van Veen could not threaten a 170, Humphries returned for the title and took out 41 on double eight.
