2025 World Cup of Darts: Netherlands and Germany Start Strong

The 2025 BetVictor World Cup of Darts kicked off with thrilling wins for Netherlands and host nation Germany. Catch up on the latest results and highlights from Frankfurt's Eissporthalle.

The 2025 BetVictor World Cup of Darts kicked off at Frankfurt's Eissporthalle, with the Netherlands making a strong statement. Danny Noppert and debutant Gian van Veen thrashed Italy 4-0, averaging an impressive 95.43. Meanwhile, host nation Germany also got off to a winning start.

Host nation Germany started strong, with Martin Schindler and Ricardo Pietreczko beating Portugal 4-2 in a closely contested match. Austria impressed with a 4-1 win over Spain, led by Mensur Suljovic's stellar performance, which saw him average nearly 106. Suljovic's veteran skills paired perfectly with debutant Rusty-Jake Rodriguez.

Belgium's new pairing of Mike De Decker and Dimitri Van den Bergh made a strong impression, thrashing Latvia 4-1 in Group B. In other action, Japan's Ryusei Azemoto and Tomoya Goto pulled off a thrilling 4-3 win over Croatia in Group K, overcoming match darts in three consecutive legs to seal the victory.

Malaysia made history with their first-ever World Cup win, defeating 10th-seeded Canada 4-1 in a stunning upset. Tengku Shah and Tan Jenn Ming's impressive performance marked a significant milestone for Malaysian darts. Meanwhile, Hong Kong's Man Lok Leung and Lok Yin Lee matched Malaysia's scoreline, triumphing over the USA 4-1.

The Republic of Ireland kicked off Group D with a convincing 4-2 victory over Gibraltar. Keane Barry sealed the win with an impressive performance, following up a 121 finish with an 11-darter. This impressive display showcased Barry's skills and set a strong tone for Ireland's campaign.

Key Wins:

Malaysia's Historic Win: Defeated 10th-seeded Canada 4-1, marking their first-ever World Cup victory

Hong Kong's Upset: Beat the USA 4-1, mirroring Malaysia's scoreline

Ireland's Convincing Start: Triumphed over Gibraltar 4-2 in Group D, led by Keane Barry's standout performance.

Sweden kicked off strongly in Group G with Jeffrey de Graaf and Oskar Lukasiak dominating Lithuania 4-1. Meanwhile, Poland's Krzysztof Ratajski and Radek Szaganski secured a nail-biting 4-3 win over South Africa in Group E, thanks to a crucial 14-dart leg. New Zealand's Haupai Puha and Mark Cleaver were unstoppable in Group L, thrashing Finland 4-0.

Czechia edged out Chinese Taipei 4-2 in Group J, claiming a hard-fought victory. Today's schedule sees Thursday's losing nations facing off against their group-round opponents in the afternoon session. Later, the final round-robin matches will determine the top 12 teams advancing in the competition.

The Second Round of the 2025 @BetVictor World Cup of Darts...

Eight epic ties await ⏰ pic.twitter.com/9W5eo271dI

— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) June 13, 2025

The draw for the last 16 will take place on Friday evening, following the group stage. England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland are seeded into the second round, which starts on Saturday. These top four nations will be pre-allocated into the draw bracket, while the 12 group winners will be drawn at random.

Here's a brief overview:

Seeded Nations:

England: Luke Humphries and Luke Littler

Wales: Jonny Clayton and Gerwyn Price

Scotland: Gary Anderson and Peter Wright

Northern Ireland: Josh Rock and Daryl Gurney

Second Round Schedule:

Saturday, June 14: Afternoon and evening sessions featuring eight matches

Tournament Schedule:

Sunday, June 15: Quarterfinals, semifinals, and final