Team England claimed the BetVictor 2026 PDC World Cup with a blockbuster display to defeat the Netherlands 10-5, producing the sort of performance most darts fans wish they could witness from their football team this summer.
It’s victory in Germany for the Two Lukes. Now over to the Three Lions in America for a glorious summer double. Although, as patriotic as I am, I suspect our moment in Frankfurt may be as good as it gets.
In what proved to be an exhilarating final day of action, England began the afternoon by racing back from a 4-0 deficit to edge out Team Wales, seeing off the brilliant Jonny Clayton and, for those of a South Park persuasion, metaphorically Killing Kenny.
A timely and trademark Big Fish checkout from Littler put the St George boys 7-6 ahead in a match that, earlier on, threatened to run away from them. However, they recovered superbly and, despite the Cymru pairing taking it to a thrilling deciding leg, the Lukes held firm on throw to breathe a mighty sigh of relief.
Their opponents in the semi-final were Scotland after Cammie and Ando saw off the brave efforts of the Republic of Ireland. World Cup Willie and Mickey played their part, but the Jocks were simply too strong. Bang On Target are now running a sweepstake on which nation Mansell will be representing next year. My Mum picked out Mongolia – you never know.
Unfortunately for the Scots, they were never really at the races against England. Or, more accurately, the Lukes were romping down the home straight while the Tartan Mini Army were still trying to coax their horse out of the starting stalls.
On the other half of the draw, reigning champions Northern Ireland could hardly have had a more dramatic beginning to Sunday. Facing Latvia, it looked as though, unless Rocky and Chinwinkle had a nightmare and the Baltic Boys threw like men possessed, the contest would be over in no time. How wrong we were.
Once again, Valters Melderis – who sounds like an evil fella from the Harry Potter franchise – toed the oche first for Latvia and was positively magical. Eventually, it came down to a winner-takes-all deciding leg and, with Madars Razma poised to return and pin double 12 for an historic victory, Josh Rock stepped up and checked out a magnificent 144 to take the boys in green through.
Rock could barely contain himself. Gurney was on his knees before racing over to his partner, who in those situations should always be aware of the threat of concussion arriving at speed from Daryl’s chin.
Sadly for the Northern Irish, their journey ended in the semi-finals against a Dutch duo inspired by a resurgent Michael van Gerwen. The Netherlands pairing, dressed in an orange brighter than an Oompa Loompa’s face, cruised past hosts Germany before producing another fine display to dispose of the holders and book their place in the final.
So after seven sessions in which forty countries arrived carrying their nation’s hopes and dreams – many knowing full well it would take divine intervention and probably a plague to which only they were immune to win the thing – we were left with the top four players on the planet battling it out.
Rarely will you see them all on stage at the same time unless Barry Hearn decides to unleash another Christmas record and they all turn up at Alexandra Palace, desperately trying to hide behind one another while pretending they actually want to be there.
It came down to this. Littler and Humphries for England. Van Gerwen and Van Veen for the Netherlands. Two lads in orange and two in white which, if laid on top of each other, would look a little like a traffic cone – much like a few of the drunk Germans in row five.
With the format extended to first to ten – John Part on commentary seemingly unaware that the PDC had increased it – England drew first blood and headed into the opening break with a 3-2 lead. By the time the second batch of adverts arrived, the Lukes had stretched their advantage to 7-3 and were producing sublime darts.
From that point, it felt like a matter of time. And that time turned out to be roughly eight minutes after returning from the final interval. Against the throw, England opened with 180, 140, 140 and, unless you’re wearing orange and firing in a nine darter, you’re generally in trouble. That proved to be the case.
Final score: 10-5 to England, with the pair registering an average just shy of what you’d get if you removed the hyphen from the result – 105. It was their best performance of the weekend and one which showcased a partnership that simply grew stronger and stronger as the tournament progressed.
It’s World Cup title number six for England. Humphries, who won the event alongside Michael Smith in 2024, doubles his tally. Littler claims the title for the first time and, if he wants to complete the full set of PDC honours, he’ll need to return to Germany in October and try to wrestle Gian van Veen’s European Championship crown away from him.
A simply magnificent performance from the world’s top two players, who proved the doubters wrong and showed they can thrive as a team. I mean, come on – who really thought they couldn’t?
