Darts World Cup: Who will win in Frankfurt?

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Sports Mole provides you with our take on who will win the 2025 World Cup of Darts, as well as the potential challengers and dark horses to keep an eye on at this year's tournament in Frankfurt.

The PDC World Cup of Darts returns to Frankfurt for its 15th edition this week, with 80 tungsten titans from 40 nations set to lock horns for global bragging rights and an opportunity to etch their names in the history books.

The top four nations based on the lowest combined PDC Order of Merit rankings have already earned their seeding and a fast pass into round two, while the next 12 participating nations will be seeded in the group stage.

England are the defending champions and the out-and-out favourites ahead of the competition, but can they keep their aim true, or will we see a dark horse with steel-tipped ambition rise to the occasion?

Here, Sports Mole provides you with our take on who will win the competition and a few potential challengers to keep an eye on at this year's tournament.

Who will win the 2025 World Cup of Darts?

As we prepare for the arrows to start flying in Frankfurt, it is hard to look past England as the team to beat - and for good reason! Not only are they the reigning World Cup of Darts champions, but they are now also the most decorated nation in the competition's history after claiming a record-breaking fifth title in 2024.

That victory was earned by the deadly duo of Luke Humphries and Michael Smith against surprise package Austria, 10-6 in a thrilling final, but due to his dip in the rankings, Bully Boy will miss out on the competition this year.

However, despite Smith's absence, many consider England even stronger in 2025, as stepping into the spotlight this year is none other than darts' teen sensation Luke Littler, who is already a World Darts Championship and Premier League winner at the age of just 18.

Cool Hand, alongside The Nuke, are arguably the most formidable duo in World Cup history. Currently ranked first and second in the world, and averaging 99.66 and 100.99, respectively, the all-Luke pairing is tearing up the 2025 PDC season and contested five of the 16 weekly finals in the 2025 Premier League, before facing off in the grand finale at the O2 Arena.

With Littler's explosive scoring and Humphries' steely composure, it is going to take something truly extraordinary from the challengers to knock them off their perch.

Who could pose the biggest threat to England?

While England may be the frontrunners heading into the Frankfurt showpiece, if there is one team that could go throw-for-throw with them, it is the battle-hardened Welsh pair of Gerwyn Price and Jonny Clayton.

Indeed, this is a partnership that has built incredible chemistry through the years, and has been there and done it, twice lifting the World Cup of Darts trophy (2020 and 2023), while having reached the final in 2022.

Few teams in the competition can match that kind of resume, and while Price had to miss last year's tournament due to illness, which led to a disappointing early exit for Wales, he is back this year - and throwing as well as ever.

The Iceman has seven PDC major titles to his name and reached the Premier League Playoffs with minimal fuss, while the ever-reliable Ferret has quietly stitched together one of his best seasons in recent memory, notching up wins on the Pro and European Tours, as well as a runner-up spot at the World Masters.

And the best part for Welsh fans? Wales are drawn in the opposite half to England, meaning they will avoid the Lukes until the final - if both sides get that far.

Who are the dark horses at the World Cup of Darts?

Aside from the English and the Welsh duos, two nations that have assembled formidable arsenals under the radar heading into Frankfurt are Belgium and Northern Ireland.

Historically, Belgium's World Cup track record is more "near miss" than "title threat", but that narrative could change in 2025 thanks to a fresh and genuinely dangerous pairing in Dimitri Van den Bergh and Mike De Decker.

The DreamMaker needs little introduction, having developed a reputation for being unshakable under pressure, but it is his partner, the Real Deal De Decker, who is on the rise since stunning the darting world by beating Humphries to claim the World Grand Prix last October, which sees him set to make his World Cup debut as a major champion.

Then there is Northern Ireland, which comes into the competition with what may be their strongest pairing in World Cup history. Josh Rock and Daryl Gurney are both World Cup veterans, but this is the first time they will join forces, and the early signs are promising.

Rocky has made consistent improvement since last year's World Cup and currently ranks third in the world for average score, sitting at an eye-popping 98.78, while SuperChin is a master finisher, particularly on his favoured double 18.

Northern Ireland will likely need to face England if they want a shot at the final, but this is a pairing that can go toe-to-toe with the best on their day.

World Cup of Darts winners list

2024: England (Luke Humphries and Michael Smith)

2023: Wales (Gerwyn Price and Jonny Clayton)

2022: Australia (Damon Heta and Simon Whitlock)

2021: Scotland (Peter Wright and John Henderson)

2020: Wales (Gerwyn Price and Jonny Clayton)

2019: Scotland (Gary Anderson and Peter Wright)

2018: Netherlands (Michael van Gerwen and Raymond van Barneveld)

2017: Netherlands (Michael van Gerwen and Raymond van Barneveld)

2016: England (Phil Taylor and Adrian Lewis)

2015: England (Phil Taylor and Adrian Lewis)

2014: Netherlands (Michael van Gerwen and Raymond van Barneveld)

2013: England (Phil Taylor and Adrian Lewis)

2012: England (Phil Taylor and Adrian Lewis)

2010: Netherlands (Raymond van Barneveld and Co Stompe)

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Devesh Jaganath