World Cup of Darts 2024 LIVE RESULTS: Latest updates as 40 ...
Live Blog
THE World Cup of Darts got underway yesterday with 40 nations competing in Frankfurt.
England, Wales, Netherlands and Scotland are all seeded nations and will progress straight to the knockout rounds.
The group stages began today with some cracking match-ups and conclude on Friday with the second round beginning on Saturday.
Start time: 11am BST (morning session)TV channel: Sky Sports Main Event/ActionLive stream: Sky Sports app / PDC.TVCASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS
Follow our live blog below...
Hong Kong survive a late fight back from Japan to set themselves up with a chance of going through later tonight.
Japan will head home with this defeat compounding their narrow 4-3 loss to Australia yesterday.
The Aussies take on Hong Kong at 10:20pm in yet another straight shootout to advance from the group stages.
An absolute whitewash from New Zealand as they breeze past Kantele and Harju of Finland.
A 91 average from the New Zealanders was enough to put their first points on the board., but their fate is out of their hands.
Finland will need to do them a favour against Germany tonight to get them over the line and into the next round.
South Africa pick up their first win of the tournament, but unfortunately still sit behind Northern Ireland in Group B.
The Irish duo can secure their spot in the next round when they take on Switzerland later this evening.
South Africa won't take to the oche again.
Up next is New Zealand vs Finland!
Singapore have also bowed out of the World Cup after a second consecutive defeat.
The Philippines due of Perez and Toylo breezed past their opponents 4-1.
Now they will head into their own straight shootout against Belgium at 9:05pm this evening.
The United States are OUT!
Two losses from two in their group mean they have been dumped from the World Cup.
Italy now sit top of the group and will go head to head with Portugal for a place in the next round later tonight.
Norway were close to being knocked out, but a double tops at the death saw take the win.
Unfortunately for Dekker and Bjorge Helling, that's not enough to see them through.
Now attention can be turned to a big next match... USA vs Italy.
WHAT A DEBUT!
On their first ever World Cup of Darts appearance, Chinese Taipei have won!
The legs were shared back and forth throughout, but the newcomers wound up winners in the end.
They will have to beat Ireland this evening to advance.
Norway vs Hungary up next.
A valiant effort from Malaysia to try and keep their hopes of advancing alive.
But ultimately Canada managed to pull things back after trailing for most of the match.
The Canadians win a decisive final leg to book their spot in the second round.
Unfortunately for Malayasia, it means they are out.
Denmark started strong, but struggled to maintain their momentum.
Latvia pulled it back from 2-1 down to win the match and put themselves in with a shot of advancing to the next round.
They will need France to lose to Denmark tonight to be in with a shot though.
Malaysia vs Canada next.
Ice cool from the Icelandic pair as they breeze past Bahrain.
It's Iceland's FIRST EVER win at the World Cup.
Olafsson and Gudmundsson now sit level on points with the Czech Republic, while Bahrain are out.
Iceland face a straight shootout with the Czechs at 6:35pm to see who will advance to the next round.
Latvia vs Denmark up next in Frankfurt.
What a win for little old Gibraltar!
Both nations were down to one double to win it with the scored tied at three a piece.
But as double tops miss for Spain set uop the opportunity for Gibraltar to snatch it.
Sensational stuff.
It's Bahrain up against Iceland next!
Today's action has started in Frankfurt!
Spain's duo of Jose Justicia and Jesus Noguera start proceedings against Gilbraltar.
They need a big win.
Today's action gets underway in just 15 minutes!
Spain and Gibraltar will kick things off when their chosen throwers take to the oche to see who can advance from Group K.
Follow along here for all the action and scores.
Gerwyn Price was forced to withdraw from representing Wales at the World Cup of Darts on Wednesday due to "health issues".
Price has been replaced by Jim Williams, who will partner Jonny Clayton.
Here's what Price had to say about missing out.
I'm massively disappointed that I'm having to miss the World Cup and I always love representing Wales.
I wish Jonny and Jim Williams the best of luck this weekend and hopefully they can bring back the title again!
Gerwyn Price
Luke Humphries is keen to write his own name in history alongside teammate Michael Smith at the World Cup this week.
Phil Taylor and Adrian Lewis are the only pair to win the competition with England, but Cool Hand Luke is hoping to add his name to that list.
Speaking to PDC, he said: "Phil is obviously the greatest player of all-time, and Adrian [Lewis] is a legend of the game too.
“For me and Michael to join them in winning the World Cup for England, it really would mean the world to us.
“There’s a chance for us to go on and create our own history. We’re both really up for it, so hopefully everything goes well, because if it does, then we stand a great chance.
“Me and Michael both get along very well, we’re both heavy scorers and most of the time we’re good on our doubles, so if we put that all together, it will take something special to stop us.”
World number one Luke Humphries is excited to get out and make his World Cup debut tomorrow in Frankfurt.
Humphries, who is partnered with Michael Smith for the tournament, has described it as a "very special moment".
It will be a surreal feeling.
It’s like the World Championship win. You don’t really think it’s going to happen to you until it does!
It’s going to be a very special moment for me and my family.
I’ve always wanted to represent my country, so I’m really looking forward to it.
Luke HumphriesPDC
Here’s a reminder of the pairings for every nation taking part in the World Cup this week…
Australian star Simon Whitlock - who survived a scare from Japan with partner Damon Heta - is not convinced England should be the favourites for the World Cup.
The English team is Luke Humphries and Michael Smith, the world champions in 2024 and 2023, and the highest ranked pair with both players in the top 3.
But Whitlock isn't sure they will work in the pairs format.
He said: "They're both amazing players. But I don't think they will work together. I don't think it will work for them.
"That might be nasty saying that. They're more singles players while we play a lot of pairs in Australia and that's how it works for us."
As the top seed, the English pair don't get into action until after the group stage and begin their campaign on Saturday.
The Belgian team, Dimitri van den Bergh and Kim Huybrechts, weren't speaking on stage last year but have vowed to push aside their differences for the good of the nation.
"We're here for Belgium," Van den Bergh said, "We have learned a lot from last year.
"We haven't showed the best in the first game last year and this year we're in the position to say we've got to grow up. We've got a whole load of pressure on ourselves. What is that our national colours.
"That means so much more to us as a person and in that case that means even more to us as a country. That's what we're doing and need to be doing."
Huybrechts added: "There's no question mark for us. We are here, we're at the World Cup of Darts in Frankfurt. I have to play with him, he has to play with me.
"Whether we like it or not, there's no question mark. We are here to win it, we are here to go all the way. I'm not saying we will win it but we have one goal and I have to do it with him and he has to do it with me. The only question marks are from the media. That's it.
"There's no doubt I know he's going to do his best and I'm going to do my best. We are here for Belgium. I want to win it, he wants to win it. We are not here for fun or to make friends. We are here to represent our country and be professional and I hope everybody around us is going to be professional."
Play is set to resume at 11am with these matches coming up in the morning session:
Spain v Gibraltar (K)Bahrain v Iceland (H)Latvia v Denmark (J)Malaysia v Canada (I)Lithuania v Taiwan (E)Norway v Hungary (G)United States v Italy (L)Singapore v Philippines (A)South Africa v Switzerland (B)New Zealand v Finland (C)Japan v Hong Kong (D)China v Guyana (F)The top four seeds at the World Cup of Darts join the tournament in Frankfurt at the second-round stage.
The other 12 seeds are taking part in the group stages - hoping to reach the last 16 for tomorrow and Sunday.
SEEDING:
Straight into second round (last 16):
1 England – Luke Humphries, Michael Smith.2 Wales – Jonny Clayton, Jim Williams.3 Netherlands – Michael van Gerwen, Danny Noppert.4 Scotland – Peter Wright, Gary Anderson.
Taking part in group stage:
5 Belgium – Dimitri Van den Bergh, Kim Huybrechts.6 Northern Ireland – Josh Rock, Brendan Dolan.7 Germany – Martin Schindler, Gabriel Clemens.8 Australia – Damon Heta, Simon Whitlock.9 Republic of Ireland – William O’Connor, Keane Barry.10 Austria – Rowby-John Rodriguez, Mensur Suljovic.11 Poland – Krzysztof Ratajski, Radek Szaganski.12 Czechia – Adam Gawlas, Karel Sedlacek.13 Croatia – Boris Krcmar, Romeo Grvabac.14 France – Jacques Labre, Thibault Tricole.15 Sweden – Jeffrey de Graaf, Oskar Lukasiak.16 USA – Danny Lauby, Jules van Dongen.
We'll see the rest of the World Cup of Darts group games split over afternoon and evening sessions today.
Then comes the second round - the last 16 on Saturday.
Sunday afternoon brings the quarter-finals, followed by the semis and the final that evening.
The eventual champions will scoop £80,000 between them in prize money.
Group Stage - Best of seven legsSecond Round - Best of 15 legsQuarter-Finals - Best of 15 legsSemi-Finals - Best of 15 legsFinal - Best of 19 legs
Luke Littler-less England are odds-on favourites to win the World Cup of Darts.
Luke Humphries and Michael Smith are No 1 and 2 in the PDC Order of Merit.
That's why England are rated at around 8/13 - with the Netherlands duo Michael van Gerwen and Danny Noppert next best on 4/1.
Then come Germany on 15/2 and Scotland 10/1, with Wales and Northern Ireland on 14/1.
Last year’s successful format is being repeated - meaning groups and knockout stages of all doubles matches over four days.
The top four seeds are the nations with the lowest combined PDC Order of Merit ranking of their two players.
Those four countries – England, Wales, the Netherlands, Scotland – enter at the second-round stage.
The other 36 teams are split into 12 groups of three for the round-robin first round – battling to join the four seeds on Saturday.
Saturday
Afternoon Session (12pm BST)Second Round - 4 matches
Evening Session (6pm BST)Second Round - 4 matches
Sunday
Afternoon Session (12pm BST)Quarter-Finals
Evening Session (6pm BST)Semi-FinalsFinal
