The World Cup of Darts saw England emerge on top, seeing off Netherlands in the final as Luke Littler and Luke Humphries finally achieved their destiny. England won through 10-5 against the Dutch duo of Gian van Veen and Michael van Gerwen, who were ultra impressive in their first run together. Scotland duo Cameron Menzies and Gary Anderson also formed a stalwart of the tournament, while the Netherlands' pairing of Van Veen and Van Gerwen will likely anchor their hopes in the future.
England proved a lot of people right but perhaps weren't the stars, according to Samuel Gill, Head Editor for DartsNews.com, who noted that the other countries impressed him more. Scotland looked an incredibly cohesive unit, with Menzies calm in teaming with Anderson, while the Netherlands' duo of Van Veen and Van Gerwen proved deadly. Cristo Reyes also anchored Spain and was perhaps the main star other than the big names this weekend.
Pieter Verbeek, Editor for DartsNieuws.com, remarked on a week of thrilling matches, stunning upsets and stories to be remembered. The World Cup of Darts once again demonstrated why it remains one of the most beloved events on the darting calendar. Of the forty participating nations, thirty-six had to navigate their way through the group phase, and several big names fell at the first hurdle. Australia, the 2022 champions, failed to progress, while Austria, runners-up in both 2021 and 2024, also suffered a shock early exit. Belgium appeared destined for the same fate but received unexpected help from elsewhere.
Debutants Trinidad & Tobago managed to write a memorable chapter, securing a surprise 4-3 victory over Latvia after a disastrous opening match against Italy. Ironically, that same Latvian side still progressed as group winners and eliminated France with a hard-fought 8-7 triumph to reach the quarter-finals, where they came within a single dart of a sensational place in the last four. Northern Ireland's Josh Rock produced a magnificent 144 checkout to prevent one of the biggest shocks in World Cup history.
In the quarter-finals, England found themselves on the brink of elimination against Wales, trailing 4-0 before battling back to claim victory in a deciding leg. The Netherlands produced one of the standout performances, averaging 102.68 to sweep aside host nation Germany 8-4. England then comfortably dispatched Scotland 8-3 in the semi-finals, while the Netherlands thrashed Northern Ireland 8-2. In the final, England reeled off five consecutive legs in 15, 14, 12, 12 and 15 darts to transform a 2-1 deficit into a commanding 6-2 advantage, eventually winning 10-5.
