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All eyes will be on England’s Luke Littler and Luke Humphries partnership as they look to rectify their 2025 mistakes at this year’s World Cup of Darts.
Littler and Humphries renew their partnership for five-time winners England, as the world’s top two sides aim to reclaim the coveted crown at the Eissporthalle in Frankfurt on June 11-14, as 40 nations compete for the coveted title in a unique pairs event.
World No.1 Littler and No.2 Humphries suffered heartbreaking defeats to hosts Germany in the last 16 last year. It was their first match against the top four ranked nations, including England, entering the last 16 stage of the tournament.
The German pair of Martin Schindler and Riccardo Pitreco upset the top two players in the world to win 8-4, but according to Sky Sports’ Paul Nicholson and Chris Murphy, who join Michael Bridges on the latest edition of the Love the Darts podcast, it could be a very different story this time.
“I don’t think they’re going to be as quick as they were last year, but I don’t think they’re going to win it at a canter,” said Nicholson, who suffered a World Cup final with teammate Simon Whitlock in 2012 against England’s Phil Taylor and Adrian Lewis.
“It’s true, it’s a different discipline and I like the fact that Litter didn’t win it because it reinforces his hunger to have something he doesn’t have.
“Humphries has already got it so he knows how to get it and until these two win this World Cup people will be on their backs saying, ‘You haven’t won it, have you?’ And it can be part of the banter in the practice room with Josh Rock and Daryl Gurney. ‘We won it and you didn’t!’
“It will be an interesting backroom chat that pits them against each other.
“The narrative coming into this tournament is not about them. It’s about Wales not being at full strength and it’s about other teams possibly going all the way.
“Twelve months in there are people who aren’t sure Luke and Luke are going to be the team that’s going to dominate this thing.”
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Highlights of the World Cup of Darts clash between England and Germany
Darts commentator Murphy, added: “Littler admits they didn’t bond on stage last year but I think they’ve learned from it. They’re already talking about it, they’re effectively becoming a team before the tournament starts which shows they’re drawing on that experience. They won’t want to go through that again and I think they’ll be stronger.
“I don’t see them exiting early this time. I don’t think they’ll exit early, but I don’t think missing two games in the group will help any of these seeds.”
Northern Ireland duo Josh Rock and Daryl Gurney Won the tournament for the first time in 2025 with an epic victory over Wales in the final-leg decider.
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Speaking on Love the Darts, Chris Murphy explains why the World Cup of Darts is so important to the game
The 2026 World Cup of Darts will take place at the Eisporthalle in Frankfurt from June 11-14, as 40 countries compete for the coveted title in a unique pairs event.
The top four ranked nations are selected based on the lowest cumulative PDC ranking of the two competing players and will enter the last 16.
They include top seed England, four-time winners the Netherlands, reigning champions Northern Ireland and two-time champions Scotland.
The remaining 36 nations have been divided into 12 groups of three for a round-robin stage – including the 12 qualifying nations – from which each group winner will advance.
Who will win this Premier League Darts? Luke Humphries will defend his title and you can watch the final night on Sky Sports next Thursday. Stream darts and more great games now.
