As the 2025 World Cup of Darts kicks off on June 12 at Frankfurt’s Eissporthalle, England’s powerhouse pairing of Luke Littler and Luke Humphries is poised to defend the nation’s title and cement their status as darts’ most formidable duo. The 18-year-old prodigy Littler, making his highly anticipated World Cup debut, teams up with world No. 1 Humphries, who clinched the title last year alongside Michael Smith. With England seeded first among 40 competing nations, expectations are sky-high, but Humphries is ready to shield his young teammate from the pressures of a potentially hostile German crowd. “It’s just about not getting involved in the crowd, isn’t it?” Humphries said, promising to rally around Littler if tensions arise. “I’ll be there to say, ‘Don’t worry about what they’re doing, focus on your game.’”
The World Cup, a unique pairs event running from June 12-15, pits nations against each other in a format that blends individual brilliance with seamless teamwork. England, one of four top seeds alongside Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, bypasses the group stage and enters directly in the second round on Saturday. Littler and Humphries, dubbed the “Lukes of Hazard,” bring a combined pedigree that makes them red-hot favorites. Littler, the 2025 PDC World Champion, has shattered records, becoming the youngest major title winner at 17, while Humphries, the 2024 World Champion and reigning Premier League victor, boasts eight PDC major singles titles. “The two best players in the world, a lot of pressure is going to be on our shoulders,” Humphries acknowledged, noting the expectation that “no one’s going to touch us.”
Littler’s journey to this moment has been meteoric. After bursting onto the scene as a 16-year-old finalist in the 2024 World Championship, where he fell to Humphries, he claimed the 2025 title by defeating Michael van Gerwen. His three televised nine-darters, including one against van Gerwen in the 2025 Premier League, underscore his fearless precision. However, his relationship with German crowds has been rocky. Booed in Munich, Berlin, and Hildesheim earlier this year, Littler briefly vowed to skip German tournaments, only to reverse course for the World Cup. Humphries, unfazed, is confident in Littler’s resilience: “No one’s going to turn down playing for England. I would never turn it down in a million years, no matter how tired I was, how ill I was. I think Luke’s the same.”
The duo’s chemistry will be crucial in a field brimming with talent. Wales, led by two-time champions Gerwyn Price and Jonny Clayton, looms as a major threat, with Clayton boldly predicting they’ll halt England’s charge. “Wales will stop England from winning the title,” he declared, banking on their proven partnership. Scotland’s Gary Anderson and Peter Wright, and Northern Ireland’s new-look pair of Josh Rock and Daryl Gurney, also eye the trophy. Host nation Germany, featuring Martin Schindler and debutant Ricardo Pietreczko, faces Portugal and Singapore in Group C, hoping to leverage home support. The Netherlands, without Michael van Gerwen but with Danny Noppert and Gian van Veen, could pose a surprise, as Dutch veteran Vincent van der Voort suggested: “If both of them play well, they absolutely can beat England.”
Humphries, who thrived in his 2024 World Cup debut, knows the emotional weight of representing England. “As you saw when we won, the emotion that comes out of you, you don’t expect it but it does because you’re just so buzzing,” he said. He anticipates Littler, despite possible nerves, will feel the same thrill. Their strategy is simple: focus on winning, not perfection. “It doesn’t matter how we play as long as we win the trophy,” Humphries emphasized. Littler, with prior doubles experience from youth tournaments, is expected to adapt quickly to the pairs format, where Humphries plans to let him throw first to set the tone.
The tournament’s structure adds intrigue. After a group stage whittles 36 nations to 12, the second round introduces the top seeds. England’s opponents will emerge from Friday’s group winners, with potential matchups against teams like Australia, Belgium, or Austria. The electric atmosphere at Eissporthalle, coupled with Littler’s history with German fans, could test their mettle, but Humphries’ mentorship and their combined firepower make them a daunting prospect. “If we gel and play our best, it’s going to take a tough performance to beat us,” Humphries said, echoing the confidence that has made them the sport’s standard-bearers.
As darts continues its global ascent, fueled by the Littler-Humphries rivalry, this World Cup promises to be a defining moment. With England chasing a record-extending sixth title, the stage is set for the “Lukes” to deliver a performance that could echo the heroics of past English legends Phil Taylor and Adrian Lewis. Whether they face crowd hostility or fierce competition, their focus remains unwavering: bring the trophy home.
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