In a change that many darts fans have called for, it will be pairs throughout from the 2023 edition of the World Cup of Darts onwards with the tournament held in Frankfurt between June 15-18 expanded.
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The tournament will now include 40 teams with Iceland, Ukraine and Bahrain set to make their debuts. The top four nations will be seeded and enter in at the second round stage with the remaining 36 teams battling it out over 12 groups of three from the first round.
Each group winner will then progress with the second round seeing the Last 16 nations onwards battling it out with no singles ties set to happen.
Nations will confirm their partnerships depending on the Order of Merit as of May 29 with the top two invited. A Latin America Qualifier and Portuguese qualifier will decide other picks.
While Asian Tour Order of Merit will confirm their picks on May 1, while PDC Nordic and Baltic have a June 5 cutoff.
"The World Cup of Darts is one of our most popular events and this new format will add extra excitement to an already eagerly-awaited four days," said PDC Chief Executive Matt Porter.
"The nations competing in the group stage will now be guaranteed a minimum of two matches, increasing their big-stage experience, and our global growth is also represented by being able to introduce new countries and stage a Latin America Qualifier.
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“The move to feature Doubles matches throughout the World Cup is another big change to previous years but one we felt was right to introduce alongside the group stage to emphasise the team element of the event.
"This new format is an important development for us in continuing to grow professional darts around the world and we look forward to a wonderful World Cup of Darts in June."
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of DartsNews.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy across professional darts coverage. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces, playing a central role in the development and daily operation of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has extensive experience in darts media and has been closely involved in coverage of the professional darts circuit for several years. Within the UK darts community, he is a recognised figure known for his consistent editorial output and ongoing reporting on major tournaments and developments across the PDC calendar.
In his current role, Samuel works closely with editors and writers to ensure content meets clear journalistic standards, with a focus on source verification, editorial consistency, and timely updates when new, confirmed information becomes available.
DOUBLES ALL THE WAY! 🎯
The World Cup of Darts will be bigger and better than ever before with a brand new format…
40 Countries 🌍
12 Groups 🔢
Doubles throughout 👥
👉 bit.ly/WCODFormat