World Cup of Darts 2026: Date, time, schedule, teams, TV channel & live stream as Luke Littler & Humphries eye title

WORLD CUP OF DARTS RETURNS AS 40 NATIONS BATTLE FOR GLORY IN FRANKFURT

The World Cup of Darts is back, with 40 nations heading to Germany in pursuit of one of the sport’s most prestigious international titles.

Defending champions Northern Ireland return with the same winning partnership of Josh Rock and Daryl Gurney after their dramatic victory over Wales in last year’s final.

Wales will have a new-look team this time around. With Gerwyn Price absent from the squad, Jonny Clayton is joined by debutant Nick Kenny as they attempt to reclaim the trophy.

England’s hopes rest on the dream partnership of world No.1 Luke Littler and world No.2 Luke Humphries. The star duo will be aiming to secure England’s first World Cup crown together, while Michael van Gerwen and Gian van Veen once again team up for the Netherlands.

The tournament’s top four seeds are England, the Netherlands, Northern Ireland and Scotland, with Gary Anderson partnering debutant Cameron Menzies for the Scots.

When is the World Cup of Darts 2026?

The action gets underway on Thursday, June 11, and concludes with the final on Sunday, June 14.

Matches begin at 6pm BST on Thursday, before switching to daytime and evening sessions from Friday onwards. Play starts at 11am BST on Friday and 12pm BST on both Saturday and Sunday.

Frankfurt’s Eissporthalle will once again host the event.

How to watch

Fans in the UK can watch live coverage on Sky Sports, with streaming also available through NOW TV.

Top seeds

Seeds 1-4 (automatic entry into Round Two)

• England – Luke Littler & Luke Humphries
• Netherlands – Michael van Gerwen & Gian van Veen
• Northern Ireland – Josh Rock & Daryl Gurney
• Scotland – Gary Anderson & Cameron Menzies

Group stage contenders

The remaining 36 nations will battle through 12 groups, with seeds five to 16 receiving protected positions.

Notable seeded nations include Germany, Belgium, Wales, Republic of Ireland, Poland, Sweden, Australia and the Czech Republic, while unseeded challengers such as Canada, USA, South Africa, Japan, India and France will all be hoping to spring a surprise.

Group stage highlights

Several intriguing groups stand out:

• Group A: Germany, Philippines, New Zealand
• Group C: Wales, Lithuania, Thailand
• Group G: Australia, USA, Canada
• Group H: Czech Republic, India, Denmark
• Group K: Croatia, Japan, Spain

Tournament schedule

Thursday, June 11

• Opening group-stage matches from 6pm BST

Friday, June 12

• Group-stage action continues from 11am BST
• Evening session begins at 6pm BST

Saturday, June 13

• Round Two matches
• Afternoon and evening sessions

Sunday, June 14

• Quarter-finals from 12pm BST
• Semi-finals and Final from 6pm BST

Players to watch

All eyes will be on teenage sensation Luke Littler as he makes his World Cup debut alongside Luke Humphries. The English pair enter the tournament as favourites, but they face fierce competition from defending champions Northern Ireland, Dutch legends Michael van Gerwen and Gian van Veen, and a dangerous Scottish side led by Gary Anderson.

With national pride on the line and some of the biggest names in world darts involved, Frankfurt is set for four days of high-quality action and drama on the oche.