Archery World Cup 2026: Will England’s Luke Littler and Luke Humphries right the wrongs of last year’s show? | Arrow News
All eyes will be on the England partnership of Luke Littler and Luke Humphries as they prepare to right the wrongs of their 2025 show at this year’s World Cup of Darts.
Littler and Humphries renew their partnership with five-time winners in England, as the world’s top two aim to reclaim the coveted crown at Frankfurt’s Eissporthalle from June 11-14, as 40 countries compete for the coveted title in the unique pairs event.
World No 1 Littler and No 2 Humphries suffered shock defeats to hosts Germany in the last 16 last year. It was their first match against four top-ranked countries, including England, who entered the tournament in the last 16.
German pair Martin Schindler and Ricardo Pietreczko upset the world’s top two players to win 8-4, but it could be a very different story this time, according to Sky Sports’ Paul Nicholson and Chris Murphy, who joined Michael Bridge on the latest Love The Darts Podcast.
“I don’t think they’ll come out as early as they did last year, but I don’t think they’ll win it at a canter,” said Nicholson, who faced adversity in the World Cup final with teammate Simon Whitlock against England’s Phil Taylor and Adrian Lewis in 2012.
“The truth is, this is a different behavior and I like that Litter doesn’t overcome this because it reinforces the desire to get something he doesn’t have.
“Humphries has got it so he knows how to get it and until these two win the World Cup there will be people saying, ‘you haven’t won that one yet, have you?’ And that would be part of the banter in the practice room with Josh Rock and Daryl Gurney. ‘We won this and you haven’t!’
“It’s going to be an interesting conversation in the room that they’re going to have.
“The story coming into the tournament wasn’t about them. It was saying that Wales don’t have full strength and it’s about other teams that might go all the way.
“Twelve months there are people who are not sure that Luke and Luke will be the team that will rule this thing.”
Darts commentator Murphy added: “The youngster admitted that they didn’t take part in the stage last year but I think they have learned from that. They talked about it, they will be a team effectively before the tournament starts and they show that they have used that experience. They will not want to go through that again and I think they will be very strong.
“I don’t see them leaving early at this time. I don’t think they will leave early, but I don’t think missing two games in the team is helping this.”
Northern Ireland features Josh Rock and Daryl Gurney won the tournament for the first time with a dramatic victory over Wales in the final leg decider in 2025.
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Speaking on Love The Darts, Chris Murphy explains why the World Cup of Darts is so important to the sport.
The 2026 World Cup of Darts will take place at the Eissporthalle in Frankfurt from June 11-14, as 40 countries compete for the coveted title in the unique pairs event.
The four top-ranked countries – based on the lowest cumulative PDC rating of the two competing players – have advanced and will enter the last 16 stage.
These include England, four-time winners the Netherlands, two-time champions Northern Ireland and two-time champions Scotland.
The remaining 36 nations have been divided into 12 groups of three in the knockout stage – including the 12 senior nations – where each winning team will advance.
Who will win this year’s Premier League Darts? Luke Humphries will be defending his title and you can watch Final Night next Thursday on Sky Sports. Stream darts and other top games NOW.
