When does the 2026 World Cup of Darts start, which countries are competing, and how can you get tickets?

The World Cup of Darts is one of the most unique tournaments on the PDC calendar. Unlike other events, players don’t compete as individuals but for their country. Each participating nation fields two pairs of players, creating a completely different dynamic on stage. But which countries are taking part in this unique tournament, and when does the World Cup of Darts start in 2026?

The tournament first appeared on the calendar in 2010. After a one-year absence, it has been a permanent fixture within the PDC since 2012. England and the Netherlands are historically the two most successful nations at the World Cup. Of the 15 editions played in total, England has won five, while the Netherlands has taken the title four times.

The 2025 edition produced a surprise winner. The Northern Irish duo Josh Rock and Daryl Gurney stunned everyone by reaching the final and then defeating the Welshmen Gerwyn Price and Jonny Clayton 10-9 in a thrilling decider.

Here is all the information you need to know about the World Cup of Darts:
1. When does the World Cup of Darts start?
2. What is the format at the World Cup of Darts?
3. Where is the World Cup of Darts held?
4. How do you qualify for the World Cup of Darts?
5. Which countries take part in the World Cup of Darts?
6. How do I get tickets for the World Cup of Darts?
7. How much prize money is up for grabs at the World Cup of Darts?
8. Where can I watch the World Cup of Darts live?
9. Which countries have won the World Cup of Darts?

The World Cup of Darts gets underway from Thursday, June 11, 2026, through Sunday, June 14, 2026. The group stage will be held on Thursday, June 11 and Friday, June 12, split across three sessions. Saturday, June 13, features the second-round matches, before the entire final day is played on Sunday, June 14. The quarterfinals, semifinals, and final are played back-to-back, with the winner crowned at the end of the evening.

The World Cup of Darts typically features 40 countries. The top four nations based on the world rankings, calculated from the latest combined PDC Order of Merit standings of the two participating players, are automatically seeded. The remaining 36 nations must earn their place in the knockout phase via the group stage.

The group stage consists of twelve groups of three countries each. Matches are played in a short best-of-7 legs format. Only the group winners advance to the knockout stage. Ultimately, 12 nations join the four pre-seeded countries to make up the last 32. From that point, the format changes. In the second round, quarterfinals, and semifinals, matches are best of 15 legs. In the final, this is increased to best of 19 legs.

Whereas in the past both pairs and singles matches were played, the World Cup of Darts overhauled its format from the 2023 edition. Now, all matches from the first round through to the final are played in pairs.

Since 2022, the Eissporthalle in Frankfurt am Main has been the permanent home of the World Cup of Darts. However, the tournament has visited various venues over the years. The first World Cup edition in 2010 was staged in England, at the Rainton Meadows Arena in Houghton-le-Spring. After a one-year absence, it moved to Germany for the first time in 2012, to the Alsterdorfer Sporthalle in Hamburg, where it was held for three years.

From 2015 through 2018, the tournament then settled for the first time at the Eissporthalle. But partly due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it had to relocate to other venues over the next three years. In 2019, the World Cup stayed in Germany, this time at the Barclaycard Arena in Hamburg. A year later, it made a trip to Austria at the Salzburgarena in Salzburg, before returning to Germany in 2021, when the Sparkassen-Arena in Jena was the host venue. In 2022, the tournament returned to Frankfurt am Main, where it came back this year for the fifth time in a row.

The qualification criteria for the World Cup of Darts are based on selecting the two best players per country who are highest on the PDC Order of Merit. The world’s top 16 nations are often seeded. If a country does not have two players holding a Tour Card, alternative qualification routes apply.

For the first time in World Cup history, two African nations are eligible to participate. In addition, two countries qualify via the PDC Nordic & Baltic Tour, and multiple spots are available through the PDC Asian Tour. One further place is allocated via the CDLC Qualifier.

At the time of writing, 34 countries are already confirmed for the World Cup of Darts. Six spots will still be allocated via the qualifiers listed above. These are all participating countries:

As the World Cup of Darts is being held in Germany, ticket sales are handled by PDC Europe. As always, with a major PDC tournament, PDC TV members get first access via the presale. Usually, the general sale for everyone follows 24 to 48 hours later.

Prices range from €35 to €700. The cheapest seats are higher up in the stands, where you pay on average €35 to €90 depending on the day and session. Table seats, often the most popular, range between €60 and €180. Premium/Platinum seats (right by the stage) cost between €120 and €250. There are also hospitality packages including food and drinks, VIP access, and the best tables. These cost between €250 and €700, depending on the day and session.

Although the World Cup of Darts is not a ranking event for the PDC Order of Merit, the prize fund is certainly worthwhile. The winning pair will receive £50,000 per player, while the runners-up can add £24,000 each. Semi-finalists earn £15,000 apiece, and quarter-finalists receive £10,000.

Players who exit with their country in the last 16 collect £5,000 per person. Teams that fall in the group stage have also not travelled to Germany for nothing. For finishing second in the group, players receive £3,000 each, and the group’s bottom team get £2,500 per player.

In the UK, the tournament is shown in full on Sky Sports on a mix of channels often depending on what sport is on around that time but usually Sky Sports Main Event. It will be presented by Emma Paton who has long anchored the sport on the channel since Dave Clark's retirement and usually she is joined by top pundits/commentators including Wayne Mardle, Glen Durrant, Mark Webster, John Part among others over the course of the tournament.

In the US, the tournament is shown on Peacock and if not available PDCTV also show the Sky Sports feed in that territory while Fox Sports in Australia also show the tournament.

Here are the main broadcasters for the top countries mostly in Europe and further afield:

For darts fans outside these countries, PDCTV is the place to follow the tournament live online. This official PDC streaming service provides full live coverage of all major TV tournaments, including the World Cup of Darts.

Since the World Cup of Darts made its debut on the PDC calendar, England and the Netherlands have largely dominated the event, particularly the pairings of Phil Taylor & Adrian Lewis and Michael van Gerwen and Raymond van Barneveld.

The inaugural edition was won by the Netherlands, then featuring Van Barneveld and Co Stompé. The next two titles went to England with Taylor and Lewis, before the Netherlands were strongest again in 2014, this time for the first time with Van Gerwen and Van Barneveld together. In 2014 and 2015, Taylor and Lewis then claimed the tournament for the third and fourth time.

In 2017 and 2018, however, it was once more Van Gerwen and Van Barneveld who lifted the Dutch total to 4 titles. A title drought for these two nations followed. Scotland captured its first crown in 2019, with Gary Anderson and Peter Wright as a duo, and a year later, Wales also broke through for the first time, already with the now-familiar pairing of Gerwyn Price and Jonny Clayton.

In 2021, Scotland won the World Cup for the second time, with John Henderson stepping in for Gary Anderson. A year later, Australia made history when Damon Heta and Simon Whitlock teamed up to win the country’s first team title. In 2023, Price and Clayton lifted the trophy together for the second time.

After a five-year drought, England finally reclaimed the World Cup in 2024, no longer with the iconic Taylor/Lewis tandem, but with Luke Humphries and Michael Smith. Last year, the duo Josh Rock and Daryl Gurney sprang a surprise by winning the title for Northern Ireland for the first time in history.