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In the 2025 World Cup of Darts, England's debut pair of Luke Littler and Luke Humphries had so much hype around them entering the event that anything short of a title was a failure.
Not only did they not win the title, but they didn't win a single match, as they were defeated by Germany in the second round.
Both players have gone on to have an incredible stretch in the last 12 months since then, and they enter this World Cup appearing less vulnerable.
However, there are a lot of quality pairs from other countries playing at this year's event, so it won't be easy for the world number #1 & #2 to have an easy redemption run to the title.
5 countries that can upset England's Luke Littler & Luke Humphries at 2026 World Cup of Darts
Here are five teams that could give England a more than quality fight.
*List starts with duo that has the best chance at an upset
MORE: 2026 World Cup of Darts: Draw, schedule, prize money and format explained
1. Scotland: Gary Anderson and Cameron Menzies
Scotland has a new pair heading to the World Cup this year, as Cameron Menzies replaces Peter Wright and joins former event winner Gary Anderson.
Anderson and Wright failed to pick up a single leg at the event last year, losing via a whitewash against the Netherlands, in an 8-0 Second-round loss.
Things should be much different this year, as Menzies will enter this event in career-best form.
Anderson doesn't play too often on the Pro Tour, so what we see from him is TBD, but on paper, a Menzies/Anderson duo could make a lot of noise if they're both at their best this upcoming weekend.
2: Netherlands: Gian van Veen and Michael van Gerwen
MVG has been very selective in recent years with the World Cups he's chosen to play in, but he's back this summer to team up with GVV for the first time.
Although they are in contention to make a run at the title, they both have had some major highs and lows in recent months.
Neither player qualified for the PL play-off night. GVV hasn't looked the same since missing time after a procedure he had done a few months ago.
We've seen some encouraging performances from MVG, but it's in the back of everyone's mind that the consistency is what has been lacking with him in recent years.
If both can play either their A or B game, they're set up for a deep run, but they'll have to be at their very best to have any shot at beating a determined English team.
3: Northern Ireland: Josh Rock and Daryl Gurney
Rock and Gurney return to the World Cup stage after taking home the title for the first time last year.
They'll have another shot at winning the title, but it might be harder this time around.
Rock is coming off a rough PL campaign, and with him being the star player out of the two, he'll be relied on to raise his standard.
Gurney's finishing was a major part of why they won in 2025, so he'll need to help Rock out in that department to make up for any struggles Rock has scoring-wise.
4: Poland: Krzysztof Ratajski and Sebastian Bialecki
Having Poland this high on the list may seem like a head scratcher, but timing is everything in darts, and this is another pair at the event this year that has two players playing career-best stuff.
Ratajski has several semifinal runs on the Pro Tour this year, including quarterfinal appearances at the WC and the UK Open.
Bialecki has mainly played Pro Tour events, but that will change as he moves up the OoM.
He's been active on the Development Tour as the OoM leader and has produced top-tier performances in matches on that circuit.
MORE: Luke Littler contract details: Teenage phenom signs richest endorsement deal in darts history
5: Ireland: William O'Connor and Mickey Mansell
There are a lot of quality teams left off this list, like Germany, Belgium and Wales, but each of those countries has some major questions to be answered due to factors like erratic form, new pairs, etc.
Ireland, on the other hand, has found some great form on the Pro Tour, and O'Connor and Mansell could make real noise in their first World Cup as a duo.
O'Connor nearly won a PC event last week, and Mansell has produced some steady averages that would be supportive enough to help O'Connor win matches for Ireland.
Don't be surprised seeing the likes of Germany, Belgium and Wales play well, but recency bias says Ireland is the better team at the moment.
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