Singles action is put to one side this week as 80 players head to Frankfurt in Germany to compete for their nation in the World Cup of Darts, a tournament which is gaining a lot more significance as the depth of the field gets stronger.
It took some winning last year and that is exactly what Wales were able to do. They will return to attempt to defend the title although they have had a late change in personnel. Some top pairings are out to stop them.
Recent Winners
2023 – Wales
2022 – Australia
2021 – Scotland
2020 – Wales
2019 – Scotland
2018 – Netherlands
2017 – Netherlands
2016 – England
2015 – England
2014 – Netherlands
The Format
We have the same format which was used for the first time last year so this is now officially a pairs tournament. The four top seeded nations enter the tournament in the last 16 with the other 36 pairs being split into 12 groups, the winners of which progress to join them in the knockout stages. The three matches in each group are the best of seven legs with the format expanding up to the best of 15 legs up to the semi-finals. The final will be the best of 19 legs. The groups are played out over Thursday and Friday with the last 16 on the Saturday ahead of the quarter finals, semi-final and the final on Sunday.
The Field
There has been a lot of criticism of the field this year because there is no Luke Littler in it for England but as always the two leading players on the Order of Merit are invited to represent their country so England will have the world champion Luke Humphries and Michael Smith lining up for them. Wales will look to defend the title with Jonny Clayton one half of the winning pair of last year now joined by Jim Williams after Gerwyn Price pulled out late on. The Netherlands are the second seeds with Michael van Gerwen back alongside Danny Noppert for this campaign.
The other seeded nation are Scotland who have the pairing of Peter Wright and Gary Anderson back looking to win this title for the first time since 2021. Australia are the other former winners in the field and they are once again represented by Damon Heta and Simon Whitlock. Other notable teams include Northern Ireland for whom Josh Rock makes his debut alongside Brendan Dolan while all eyes will be on the Belgium pair of Dimitri Van den Bergh and Kim Huybrechts who don’t see eye to eye.
Market Leaders
England are odds on favourites to win this title for the first time since 2016. When you consider the calibre of player who has represented them in this tournament it is amazing they have gone so long without winning the title. One issue for England here could be that Michael Smith is a rhythm player and he won’t be getting much of that this weekend. They have bypassed the group stage though so will come in during the longer format but at odds on they are easily swerved.
The Netherlands are around 4/1 shots to get their hands back on the trophy having last won it in 2018, which with Michael van Gerwen at the top of the game for that duration is surprising they haven’t won it in six years. This will be the first time he teams up with Danny Noppert in the pure doubles only format so it will be interesting to see how that partnership goes. Van Gerwen is another who likes a rhythm and he won’t get that here. They lost their only doubles match when they were last together in 2020 so I’m not rushing in on them either.
Germany are the third favourites to land the title this weekend. They have never won this tournament but continue to get closer having missed out in the semi-final last year. Martin Schindler has won on the European Tour since then which will have boosted his confidence so the question will be whether Gabriel Clemens holds up his end of proceedings. If he does then Germany could be real dangers in this tournament with the crowd behind them. They are in an awkward group which doesn’t help.
Wales and Scotland have gone in opposite directions in the market since the news that Gerwyn Price has withdrawn. They are both 14/1 to win the tournament. Defending champions Wales do look a good deal weaker without Price when you consider that Jonny Clayton has shown little form for a year or so now and Jim Williams is on debut. Wales beat Scotland in the final last year and while the form of Gary Anderson has risen hugely since then the level of Peter Wright has dropped off a cliff which is a negative.
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Main Bet
Northern Ireland have a group which they shouldn’t have any problems getting out of so when they get into the knockout stages they could be a match for anyone. This is a fresh pair for this nation but I don’t think that is a bad thing because Josh Rock is a superstar in waiting and Brendan Dolan is a very useful campaigner in this format. What I like most about this pair is neither need a rhythm to play their best darts and that will be helpful here.
Rock arrives into this tournament having won a European Tour event earlier in the season while Dolan won a Players Championship event last month so these two are in decent form and if they dovetail each other nicely then I see no reason why they can’t have a big week. I always think that this tournament isn’t about how strong your main player is, although Rock ticks the box in that regard anyway, but how strong or weak the second player is. Only England, Netherlands, Scotland and Germany have a higher ranked second player so Northern Ireland should be a threat this weekend.
Outsiders
Poland might be coming into this tournament with next to no expectation when you consider that Krzysztof Ratajski and Radek Szaganski aren’t in the greatest form but between them they have been to the semi-final of four of the 12 Players Championship tournaments this year so when they get it right they can be a danger for anyone. They have landed themselves in a group with Norway and Hungary which is about as comfortable a group as you could have got in this tournament and with neither player really needing a rhythm they shouldn’t be unsuited to the doubles format.. If Szaganski can hold his end up in the finishing then the Poles can have a decent run.
Canada really should have done better in this tournament than they have done when you consider that they have had the likes of John Part and Jeff Smith representing them in the past. Neither of those players are here this year as it is Matt Campbell and David Cameron who will represent them. I don’t mind that so much though. Campbell showed he is in decent form when he made the final of the Players Championship event a couple of weeks ago while Cameron has been doing well enough on the seniors circuit. If Cameron can click on the doubles this week these two score well enough to go well. Neither are fluent players so the lack of rhythm shouldn’t be an issue and if they can get the better of Croatia and get out of the group I wouldn’t be surprised to see them go deep in this event.
Tips
Back Northern Ireland to win World Cup of Darts (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 23.00 with Bet365 (1/2 1-2)
Back Poland to win World Cup of Darts (e/w) for a 0.5/10 stake at 67.00 with Boylesports (1/2 1-2)
Back them here:
Back Canada to win World Cup of Darts (e/w) for a 0.5/10 stake at 251.00 with Coral (1/2 1-2)
