In a stunning turn of events at the 2025 World Cup of Darts, England’s powerhouse duo of Luke Littler and Luke Humphries, widely regarded as the sport’s most formidable pairing, were unceremoniously knocked out in the second round by a spirited German team. The 8-4 thrashing at Frankfurt’s Eissporthalle, in front of a raucous home crowd, has been hailed as one of the biggest upsets in the tournament’s 15-year history. The defeat, coming just a day after both players were honored with MBEs in the King’s Birthday Honours, left fans and pundits reeling and marked a rare off-day for the world’s top two ranked players.
Littler, the 18-year-old prodigy and reigning World Darts Champion, and Humphries, the world No. 1 and 2024 World Cup winner, entered the tournament as overwhelming favorites. Their debut as a pair was expected to steamroll the competition, with pundits like Keith Deller predicting they would “steamroller through the tournament” and lift the trophy for England’s sixth title. However, Germany’s Martin Schindler and debutant Ricardo Pietreczko had other plans. Buoyed by a feverish 3,500-strong crowd, the hosts delivered a masterclass in precision and pressure, capitalizing on England’s uncharacteristic errors to secure a seismic victory.
The match started tightly, with the score locked at 2-2 after early exchanges. Littler showed flashes of brilliance, nailing a 123 checkout to get England on the board and a 64 finish to level the score. But the Germans, unfazed by their opponents’ pedigree, hit their stride. Schindler and Pietreczko reeled off five consecutive legs, exploiting missed doubles—England converted only four of their 11 chances—and building a commanding 5-2 lead by the break. “We believed in ourselves,” Schindler declared post-match, reflecting on his pre-game assertion that the English duo were “beatable.” He added, “We’ve been putting in a solid performance, and obviously the double 16s from Ricardo just went in, so we are very happy to go through.”
Littler, who has faced hostile crowds in Germany before, appeared rattled by the relentless jeering and whistling. His frustration was palpable as he missed three darts at a double in the fifth leg, allowing Pietreczko to land a 106 checkout. Humphries, typically the calmer “Cool Hand,” also struggled, notably hitting 25 instead of the bullseye on a 122 attempt. Despite a brief rally to close the gap to 7-4, England couldn’t recover, and Pietreczko sealed the upset with a clinical 62 finish. A visibly fuming Littler shook hands and exited the stage swiftly, leaving Humphries behind. “Fair play to Germany, they played good darts,” Humphries said, acknowledging the hosts’ brilliance while lamenting England’s focus: “We are just worried about us and what we have got to do.”
The defeat extends Littler’s challenging history in Germany, where he’s previously faced crowd hostility, notably threatening to boycott tournaments after losses at the German Darts Grand Prix and Championship. Social media buzzed with reactions, with fans calling the result “a HUGE shock” and marveling at Germany’s audacity. The loss was a stark contrast to England’s dominance in recent majors, with Littler and Humphries having won the last five televised titles between them. Their preparation, which included intense practice to meld their contrasting styles—Littler’s explosive scoring and Humphries’ steady anchoring—failed to translate under the Frankfurt spotlight.
Germany now advances to the quarter-finals to face Australia, who crushed Argentina 8-1. Meanwhile, other nations seized the moment: Wales’ Gerwyn Price and Jonny Clayton, two-time champions, stormed past the Philippines 8-2, while the Netherlands’ Danny Noppert and Gian van Veen whitewashed Scotland 8-0. As the tournament heads into its final day on June 15, the absence of England opens the door for a new champion, with Wales and the Netherlands emerging as strong contenders. For Littler and Humphries, the focus shifts to regrouping for the World Matchplay, but this upset will linger as a reminder that even darts’ biggest stars aren’t invincible.
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