World Cup of Darts Roundup | No Price, no problem for Wales as Germany send message with 101+ average and Belgium stunned in Frankfurt

Wales began life without Gerwyn Price at the 2026 World Cup of Darts with a composed opening win in Frankfurt, while Australia and Belgium were both stunned on a dramatic first night of group-stage action.

Jonny Clayton and debutant Nick Kenny beat Lithuania 4-1 in Group C, recovering from the loss of the opening leg before finishing with a perfect four from four on the doubles.

Germany produced the performance of the night with a 101.90 average in a 4-0 win over the Philippines, while Hong Kong stunned Belgium and the United States edged Australia in deciding legs.

The Republic of Ireland, Poland, Austria, Czechia, Sweden, Latvia, Norway and Japan also opened their campaigns with victories on a night that immediately put several seeded nations under pressure.

Wales entered the tournament with a new-look pairing after Price’s withdrawal, leaving two-time World Cup winner Clayton to partner Kenny in Frankfurt. Their start was not completely smooth, with Darius Labanauskas taking out double 19 to give Lithuania the opening leg.

Clayton quickly settled Wales with a 180 and a 68 finish, before Kenny struck one of the key early blows of the match by pinning double 20 for a break of throw. The Welsh debutant produced a passionate reaction after that finish, and Clayton then moved Wales to the brink with a 146 checkout. Clayton completed the win moments later, sealing a 4-1 victory that gave Wales a clean start in Group C and a flawless doubles return.

Germany then produced the most emphatic performance of the night. The hosts had been handed an awkward opening assignment against a Philippines pairing viewed as one of the more dangerous unseeded teams, but Schindler and Pietreczko removed any tension early.

Pietreczko took out tops for the opening leg, Schindler punished a missed dart at double 16 from Alexis Toylo with a 68 finish, and the Germans moved 3-0 clear when Pietreczko sealed a 14-darter on double 10. Schindler then pressured the Philippines throw with a 180 in the fourth leg, before Pietreczko returned to close out the whitewash.

The 101.90 average was the standout figure of the session and gave Germany a commanding start in front of their home crowd.

Belgium suffered the first major upset of the opening night as Hong Kong produced a fearless display in Group B. Mike De Decker and Dimitri Van den Bergh arrived as one of the highest-profile pairs in the group stage, but Man Lok Leung and Lok Yin Lee broke throw immediately and then survived a chaotic second leg in which all four players had chances at double. Lee eventually found double 10 to make it 2-0.

Hong Kong then moved 3-0 ahead with a 14-dart break, leaving Belgium with almost no margin for error. De Decker dragged the Belgians back into the contest with an 80 finish and then a 100 checkout, but Hong Kong held their nerve in the sixth leg.

De Decker opened the leg with a 180, only for Lee to respond with a maximum of his own to leave 41. Leung completed the job in two darts, sealing a 4-2 win and leaving Belgium immediately under pressure in the group.

The United States then closed the night by adding another shock, beating Australia 4-3 in Group G. Australia were without Simon Whitlock at the World Cup for the first time, with Damon Heta partnered by debutant Adam Leek.

Leek missed chances in the opening leg as Stowe Buntz and Adam Sevada punished Australia to hold throw, and the United States moved 3-1 up when Buntz sealed a key break. Heta responded immediately on double 16, before Leek pinned double 10 to force a deciding leg after earlier struggles on the outer ring.

Buntz missed tops for an 80 checkout in the decider, but Heta could not take out a match-winning ton-plus finish. Sevada then returned to seal victory on double 10, giving the United States a major opening win despite Australia averaging 87.72 to the American pair’s 83.07.

William O’Connor’s record-extending 16th World Cup campaign began with victory as the Republic of Ireland beat Singapore 4-1 in Group D. Singapore landed the first blow through Phuay Wei Tan, who took out a brilliant 170 finish to break throw in the opening leg. Ireland hit straight back, with Mickey Mansell landing a 180 to leave 28 before Paul Lim responded with a 174. O’Connor kept his composure on double 14 to level the match.

O’Connor then fired in another 180 in the third leg, with Mansell eventually pinning double five after missed chances for Ireland. The Irish ever-present produced the highlight of the match in the next leg, taking out 122 on double seven after another maximum, before Mansell sealed the 4-1 win on double 10.

Austria also made a strong start, beating China 4-1 with a 97.38 average. Mensur Suljovic, beginning his own 16th World Cup campaign, opened the match with a 13-darter on double 14, while Rusty-Jake Rodriguez was sharp on the outer ring and finished the contest on double 16.

Poland justified some of their pre-tournament dark-horse status with a 4-1 win over Portugal. Krzysztof Ratajski and Sebastian Bialecki moved 3-0 up before Portugal briefly responded through Luis Camacho, but Bialecki closed the match on double eight.

The most dramatic early contest came in Group K, where Japan fought back from 2-0 down to beat Croatia 4-3. Boris Krcmar opened the match with a 180 and helped Croatia into a two-leg lead, before Haruki Muramatsu and Motomu Sakai began the Japanese recovery.

Croatia still moved 3-2 ahead and had three match darts at double 14, but Muramatsu forced a deciding leg with an 81 checkout on the bull. Sakai then hit Japan’s first 180 of the match in the decider before returning to pin double 12 and complete the comeback with a 13-dart leg.

Norway also came through a last-leg shootout, beating Finland 4-3 in Group L. Kent Joran Sivertsen opened with a 121 finish and Norway moved 2-0 ahead, only for Finland to win three legs in a row through Jani Haavisto and Jonas Masalin. Cor Dekker forced the decider with an 80 finish, before Sivertsen sealed victory on double 12.

Czechia opened the tournament with a comfortable 4-0 win over India, while Sweden beat South Africa 4-2 despite a scrappy contest on the doubles. Latvia recovered from early trouble to beat Italy 4-2, with Madars Razma sealing the win on double eight.

Germany’s demolition of the Philippines gave the hosts the performance of the night, Wales handled their first test without Price, and opening defeats for Belgium and Australia ensured the group stage began with immediate consequences in Frankfurt.