The best World Cup of Darts of all time? Averages point clearly in one direction

The standard at the World Cup of Darts reached a new peak in 2026. Based on the tournament average, this edition even surpasses previous years. With an average of 86.57 points per visit, the World Cup level is higher than ever since the introduction of the full pairs format, in which all matches are played as pairs.

For comparison: in 2025 the tournament average at the World Cup of Darts was 84.80, while 2024 recorded an average of 84.07. The 2023 edition came out at 84.92. That means the 2026 average clearly stands above recent editions.

Although a difference of one or two points may seem modest at first glance, at the sport’s highest level it is significant. When an entire tournament, with dozens of matches and hundreds of legs, shows such a rise, it says a lot about the overall quality of the field.

The numbers confirm what many darts fans already observed during the event. More and more countries have players who regularly produce high averages. Where there used to be a clear gap in quality between traditional darts nations and the smaller countries, that gap appears to be narrowing steadily. Nations considered outsiders a few years ago are now well capable of putting the established names under pressure.

The current format may also play a role in the rising figures. Since the World Cup has been played entirely as a pairs tournament, everything revolves around teamwork and rhythm between two players. Teams that are well attuned to each other can lift one another to a higher level. That regularly produces matches in which both players exceed their usual level and post impressive joint averages.

In addition, darts is currently in an exceptionally strong period. The world elite is deeper than ever, and many top players deliver exceptional performances week after week at the major televised events. That trend naturally carries over to the World Cup of Darts, where the best players from various countries join forces.

Although the tournament average does not tell the full story of an edition’s strength, it is an important gauge of the overall level. Factors such as the draw, match length, and the stage at which certain countries go out can influence the final figure. Even so, the conclusion is hard to dispute: the 2026 World Cup of Darts has so far delivered the highest standard of the full pairs era. The numbers underline that this edition ranks among the strongest the darts world has ever seen.