The cream of the crop in the darts world are descending on Germany ahead of the 14th PDC World Cup of Darts, held for the third year running at the Eissporthalle in Frankfurt. Big things are expected after the tournament hit new heights in 2023, with 40 nations all looking to make an impact on the world stage.
Of the 40 nations entered, the top 16 are seeded before the group stage that starts Thursday, June 27. Of those 16, the top four — England, Scotland, Wales and the Netherlands — skip the groups altogether and are sent straight into the round of 16 that begins Saturday, June 29.
The remaining 36 teams will play out three rounds of group-stage matches across 12 three-team pools with the winners of each progressing into the second round. The other 12 seeded teams are expected to top their groups, but as last year's World Cup showed, one upset can lead to several as country after country is eliminated in the countdown to the final.
It's all set up to be a full weekend of world-class darts action brought to you by the best pros on the planet, and with the exploits of 40 nations and 80 players to keep track of, The Sporting News has you covered.
When is the 2024 World Cup of Darts?
The 2024 World Cup of Darts begins Thursday, June 27, from the Eissporthalle in Frankfurt, Germany, with Sweden vs. Spain set to be the first match starting at 7 p.m. local time (CEST).
Hosts Germany also face an unseeded New Zealand team in their opening Group C match, leading into the second and third round of group games that are set to take place across two sessions Friday, June 28.
The eight Round of 16 matches will be held across morning and evening sessions Saturday, June 29, and then the last eight are whittled further, leading into an evening session featuring the semifinals and final from 7 p.m. local time (CEST) on Sunday, June 30.
Here's how those times shape up across the major regions:
| Date | Stage | UK (BST) | USA (ET) | Canada (ET) | Australia (AEST) |
| Thu., June 27 | Group Stage 1 | 6 p.m. | 1 p.m. | 1 p.m. | 3 a.m. (Fri., June 28) |
| Fri., June 28 |
Group Stage 2 Group Stage 3 |
11 a.m. 6 p.m. |
6 a.m. 1 p.m. |
6 a.m. 1 p.m. |
8 p.m. 3 a.m. |
| Sat., June 29 |
Morning Session (R16) Evening Session (R16) |
Noon 6 p.m. |
7 a.m. 1 p.m. |
7 a.m. 1 p.m. |
9 p.m. 3 a.m. |
| Sun., June 30 |
Quarterfinals Semifinals and Final |
Noon 6 p.m. |
7 a.m. 1 p.m. |
7 a.m. 1 p.m. |
9 p.m. 3 a.m. |
How to watch 2024 World Cup of Darts: TV channel, live stream
The Professional Darts Corporation have several broadcast partners around the globe, enabling you to catch all the action on the latest leg of the PDC's European Tour. Terrestrial TV and streaming options are listed below.
United Kingdom: Sky Sports' own dedicated Darts channel will be handling this year's World Cup from Germany, providing wall-to-wall live coverage of every single throw. Viewers can also catch up using either a NOW TV subscription or the Sky Go app.
USA and Canada: DAZN's streaming service are broadcasting full coverage of the World Cup across several countries including the USA and Canada, with darts fans able to view either live or on catch-up.
Australia: FOX Sports subscribers Down Under can watch the full weekend's worth of matches from Frankfurt both live and on catch-up, with Foxtel Go allowing viewers to watch from wherever they are.
Subscription service PDCTV are also providing live coverage and streaming for viewers in the USA and Canada for this tournament.
If the 2024 World Cup of Darts is not available to watch live in your location or if you’re traveling abroad, you can use a Virtual Private Network (VPN). VPNs offer a secure and private online connection, allowing you to bypass geographical restrictions to access your favourite streaming services from any device anywhere in the world.
WATCH FROM ANYWHERE: Sign up for NordVPN (30-day moneyback guarantee)
2024 World Cup of Darts prize money
As was the case in 2023, there'a a total prize pool of £450,000 (approx. $569,000 U.S.) on offer in Frankfurt this weekend, with the 40 nations' two-man teams all hoping to progress as far as they can, and at least beyond the group stage to join England, Scotland, Wales and the Netherlands in the last 16.
The winning team will earn £80,000 (approx. $101,000 U.S.) for their efforts, with the losing finalist set to receive £50,000 (approx. $63,000 U.S.) All competing teams stand to earn at least £4,000 (approx. $5,000 U.S.), which is the lowest prize on offer and will be given to the sides that finish bottom of the 12 three-team groups.
- Winner - £80,000
- Runner-up - £50,000
- Semifinalists - £30,000
- Quarterfinalists - £20,000
- Round of 16 - £9,000
- Second in Group - £5,000
- Third in Group - £4,000
Why isn't Luke Littler playing at the 2024 World Cup of Darts?
While 17-year-old sensation Luke Littler's explosion onto the global darts scene in the last year has seen him go all the way to the final of the PDC World Darts Championship and win the Premier League at his very first attempt. Therefore, you might be surprised not to see him representing England at this tournament.
However, Littler's early-career success has been just that — early, and he's not yet had time to build up a world ranking high enough to qualify him for this event. Instead, Luke Humphries and Michael Smith will represent England as the world's No. 1 and 3, respectively, and with those two manning the flights, it's no surprise to see England as the top seed in this World Cup.
Who won the World Cup of Darts last year?
Last year's World Cup, also in Frankfurt, was one for the ages, with shock results and upsets coming at all stages of the tournament and ending up with a two Celtic nations battling it out in the decider.
The drama-packed weekend saw Germany dump out England in the ultimate darts giant-killing, as well as Belgium getting the better of their Benelux neighbours the Netherlands.
Both sides were halted at the semifinal stage though, and in the final, a Gerwyn Price-led Wales were ultimately victorious. defeating Scotland, 10-2, to close the tournament in dominant fashion.