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The 2026 World Cup of Darts will begin with a two-day group stage, where, across three sessions, we will see 36 matches played.
Only one winner can advance from each of the 12 groups, meaning a country will likely need to go 2-0 in this phase to advance to the knockout stage.
2026 World Cup of Darts group stage winner predictions
There might be some unfamiliar faces, to some viewers, playing this weekend, but don't be deceived by their unseeded status, because there could be several seeded pairs going home early in this event.
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Group A - Germany (5), Philippines and New Zealand
Winner: Germany
These three countries each could make an argument for why they'll advance to the knockout stage, but only one can go through.
The same German pair of Martin Schindler and Ricardo Pietreczko will return, after a semifinal run in 2025 that included a massive upset win over England. They enter this year looking weaker, especially as Pietreczko manages dartitis issues.
Don't be surprised to see the Philippines get to the knockout stage for a second straight year, as Toylo and Nebrida each have a lot of experience and success at PDC events.
New Zealand could get involved, but it seems far more likely that either Germany or the Philippines will win the group.
Germany does have the advantage of playing on home soil, so I think that will help power them through to the next round.
Group B - Belgium (6), Hong Kong and Slovenia
Winner: Hong Kong
Belgium has recently been a competitive team at this event, but both Mike De Decker and Dimitri Van den Bergh enter this tournament with question marks to their names.
We don't know what version we'll get from them, and their task has been made more difficult by being in the same group as Hong Kong.
Lok-Yin Lee and Man Lok Leung return for a fourth straight year and were quarterfinalists in 2025.
I expect to see a strong few days from Hong Kong, as the pressure is on Belgium to not have an early exit for a second straight year.
Group C - Wales (7), Lithuania and Thailand
Winner: Wales
Despite Gerwyn Price not playing for Wales this year and the country no longer being a top-four seed (top-four seeds get a bye to the knockout round), they should still be able to get out of this group relatively easily.
Jonny Clayton has had large patches of elite form in the last six or so months, so as long as his partner Nick Kenny can do his job, Clayton will provide enough to get Wales past two countries that have had little success at the World Cup.
Lithuania's Darius Labanauskas is the most notable player out of the other teams in this group, but he'd have to have an elite performance or two, and support from partner Mindaugas Barauskas, to have a shot at getting by Wales.
Group D - Ireland (8), Singapore and Uganda
Winner: Ireland
Similar to Group C, the seeded team is strong enough that they should be able to take care of business.
We know Singapore has a legend in 72-year-old Paul Lim, but he and his partner Phuay Wei Tan will need to play their A-game and have an average fall somewhere in at least the low to mid 80s to be competitive.
Uganda is making their debut at the event, so they come in as a wildcard, but either way, Ireland seems like a safe pick here, especially considering William O'Connor and Mickey Mansell have been playing great darts in recent weeks.
Group E - Poland (9), Portugal and Switzerland
Winner: Poland
Poland has a great chance at making a run that goes well beyond just getting to the second round.
Krzysztof Ratajski and Sebastian Bialecki have such high ceilings with their game that makes them a well-rounded underdog.
They played together in 2022, but Bialecki has since gotten a tour card and also won a Pro Tour event last year.
Jose De Sousa (Portugal) and Stefan Bellmont (Switzerland) are notable players in this group, but we have seen Ratajski and Bialecki play some of their best darts over the last year, so they'll be a deadly duo.
Group F - Sweden (10), South Africa and Mongolia
Winner: Sweden
In years past, South Africa was an unseeded team that could always give the seeded team in their group a tough task, but this year might be different.
Sweden is a much stronger pair entering the event, and captain Jeffrey de Graaf is coming off a very recent PC win.
One or both of de Graaf and his partner, Oskar Lukasiak, have represented Sweden in the past three years, and they've made it out of the group stage all three times.
I anticipate that happening once again, unless we see a special performance from one of the two other pairs.
Group G - Australia (11), United States and Canada
Winner: Australia
Australia has the best player in this group, Damon Heta, who has been a part of a title run at the World Cup before.
However, he won't be with Simon Whitlock this year, but rather with new tour card holder, Adam Leek.
Heta and Leek have developed a great friendship recently, and that chemistry could be key at this event.
The United States and Canada have two pairs at a similar skill level, although I'd see the US giving Australia more resistance than Canada.
It wouldn't be a shocker to see a North American country win the group, but don't count out the Aussie pair.
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Group H - Czech Republic (12), India and Denmark
Winner: Czech Republic
The Czech Republic had a deep run to the quarterfinals last year, and are arguably better this year than they were in 2025.
Karel Sedlacek will return, and he'll be paired with Adam Gawlas this time around.
Sedlacek is in the race for qualifying for the Matchplay at the moment, and Gawlas has had stretches of excellence at qualifiers and Pro Tour events.
India will be led by Ally Pally cult hero, Nitin Kumar, but the pair the Czech Republic has this year seems to be enough to comfortably get through this group.
Group I - Austria (13), China and France
Winner: Austria
Austria was the runner-up in 2024, led by Mensur Suljovic, who has played for Austria in each of their previous 15 appearances in the World Cup.
He and his partner, Rusty-Jake Rodriguez, didn't make it past the group stage last year; however, they had Australia in their group at the time, and China and France likely won't play better than how Australia did.
Their odds at making it out this year seem better, as they have a solid pair that may face some pressure from Thibault Tricole and France, but outside of that, it's Austria's group to win.
Group J - Latvia (14), Italy and Trinidad & Tobago
Winner: Latvia
Latvia stands out as the favorite here, led by world #42 Madars Razma.
However, Italy made a run to the quarterfinals a couple of years ago, and their duo this year, of Michele Turetta and Riccardo Castelli, has had some notable Challenge Tour performances.
I still like Latvia's chances overall, as they have a strong duo, but Italy could make a push to win this group.
Group K - Croatia (15), Japan and Spain
Winner: Spain
Group K is a must-watch group during this stage.
I don't think there's a more open group that has three countries with such similar levels of talent.
Boris Krcmar is a veteran player who has been around for a while, but his partner Pero Ljubic has really struggled at recent PC events and at qualifiers.
Krcmar made the quarterfinals in 2024, but that was with Romeo Grbavac. He'll need to do a lot more heavy lifting to compensate for Ljubic's struggles.
With Japan, a brand new duo heads to Frankfurt, as Ally Pally cult hero Motomu Sakai returns. He's partnering with Asian Tour #4 Haruki Muramatsu, who has played in seven World Cups, including one year when Japan made the semifinals.
Spain and Japan are the two countries I anticipate fighting for the group win, as Spain will be led by Cristo Reyes.
Reyes recently re-earned his tour card after a few years off the tour. He's played phenomenally on the Euro Tour and hit a nine-darter there a few weeks ago.
Reyes' partner this year is José Justicia, who has played in four previous World Cups. If he can play his A or B game, Reyes might be able to provide enough to get Spain through to the second round.
Group L - Finland (16), Norway and Hungary
Winner: Hungary
As this is the group with the lowest seed in the top 16, it can get messy.
Cor Dekker is the most notable player in the group, the current leader on the Nordic & Baltic OoM, but there will be questions on what we'll see from his partner.
Hungary is debuting their new duo of Patrik Kovacs and Pál Székely, who each have had some steady production in recent appearances, so they stick out as a slight favorite in a group that can go to anyone.
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