World Cup of Darts group stage draw confirmed as Wales get set to headline on opening night

Mark Mothershaw Updated: 03 Jun 26 12:24

Wales will open their challenge for a third World Cup of Darts title on the tournament’s opening night next week.

The 2026 World Cup of Darts will be held at Frankfurt's Eissporthalle from June 11-14, as 40 nations compete for the coveted title in the unique pairs event.

The top four ranked nations - based on the lowest cumulative PDC ranking of the two competing players - are seeded and will enter at the last 16 stage.

This includes top seeds England, four-time winners Netherlands, reigning champions Northern Ireland and two-time champions Scotland.

The remaining 36 nations have been split into 12 groups of three for the round-robin phase - including 12 seeded nations - from which each group winner will advance.

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Welsh number one Jonny Clayton will partner debutant Nick Kenny in the absence of Gerwyn Price for two-time winners Wales, as they head up Group C alongside Lithuania and Thailand.

Martin Schindler and Ricardo Pietreczko renew their partnership for last year’s semi-finalists Germany, who go head-to-head against Philippines and New Zealand on home soil.

Damon Heta and newcomer Adam Leek will fly the flag for 2022 champions Australia, who face USA and Canada for a place in the knockout stages.

Group B will be headlined by Belgian duo Mike De Decker and Dimitri Van den Bergh, who have been pitted against last year’s quarter-finalists Hong Kong and Slovenia, who return to the World Cup stage for the first time since 2010.

Former finalists Republic of Ireland face Singapore - led by 72-year-old icon Paul Lim – and debutants Uganda in Group D, as William O’Connor teams up with Mickey Mansell for the first time.

Krzysztof Ratajski and Sebastian Bialecki will aim to steer Poland to victory in Group E, as they prepare to take on Portugal - featuring the returning Jose de Sousa – and Switzerland.

South Africa and debutants Mongolia will play two-time quarter-finalists Sweden in Group F, with Czechia, India and Denmark set to lock horns in Group H.

Two-time runners-up Austria - captained by World Cup ever-present Mensur Suljovic - will begin their latest title bid against China and 2023 quarter-finalists France in Group I.

Group J is comprised of Latvia, Italy and newcomers Trinidad and Tobago, while Croatia face a tough test in Group K against Japan and Spain – both former World Cup of Darts semi-finalists.

Elsewhere, 2013 semi-finalists Finland will take centre stage in Group L, with Norway and Hungary also battling it out for a last 16 berth.

The losing nations from Thursday’s opening round-robin matches will play the third team drawn in each group in Friday's afternoon session, before the decisive group games are played on Friday evening.

Following the completion of the group stage, the draw for the last 16 will take place on the evening of Friday 12 June, as England, represented by Luke Littler and Luke Humphries, Netherlands, Northern Ireland and Scotland open their title bids on Saturday.