Netherlands began their bid for a record-equalling fifth BetVictor World Cup of Darts title with a thumping 4-0 victory over Italy, as host nation Germany also made a winning start in Frankfurt.
The Group Stage of the 40-nation event saw the opening 12 ties take place at the Eissporthalle, as former finalists Belgium, Austria and Republic of Ireland also tasted victory on Day One.
In Group A, Danny Noppert and Gian van Veen powered four-time champions Netherlands to a whitewash victory over last year’s quarter-finalists Michele Turetta & Massimo Dalla Rosa.
World Youth Champion Van Veen enjoyed a winning start on his Dutch debut, while Noppert averaged 104 to put Netherlands on the cusp of a place in the knockout stages.
German duo Martin Schindler and debutant Ricardo Pietreczko were roared on to a hard-fought 4-2 win against Portugal, who were represented by former Grand Slam champion Jose de Sousa and newcomer Bruno Nascimento.
However, two-time runners-up Austria produced the performance of the opening night, as Mensur Suljovic and Rusty-Jake Rodriguez averaged north of 99 in their 4-1 drubbing of Spain.
Suljovic – one of three World Cup ever-presents in this year’s field – starred in the captain’s role, averaging almost 106 and pinning three of his four attempts to cap off a superb individual display alongside fresh-faced Rodriguez.
Belgium’s new-look pairing of Mike De Decker and Dimitri Van den Bergh also impressed at the Eissporthalle, dispatching Latvia 4-1 to take control of Group B.
There was success for a trio of Asian nations on Day One, as Japan, Malaysia and Hong Kong opened the round-robin phase with victories.
Japan’s Ryusei Azemoto and Tomoya Goto completed a dramatic comeback against 2024 quarter-finalists Croatia in Group K, surviving match darts in each of the last three legs to overturn a 3-1 deficit.
Tengku Shah and Tan Jenn Ming led Malaysia to a historic first win on the World Cup stage with a 4-1 win over tenth seeds Canada, while Hong Kong’s Man Lok Leung and Lok Yin Lee defeated USA in identical fashion.
2019 runners-up Republic of Ireland opened their Group D account with a 4-2 success against Gibraltar, with Keane Barry following up a 121 finish in the opening leg with an 11-darter to wrap up proceedings.
Jeffrey de Graaf and Oskar Lukasiak steered Sweden to the quarter-finals 12 months ago, and they kicked off their Group G campaign with a clinical 4-1 success against Lithuania.
Krzysztof Ratajski and Radek Szaganski produced a 14-dart break as Poland pipped South Africa in a deciding-leg, as Devon Petersen made his big stage return on German soil.
Czechia fought their way to a precious two points against last year’s surprise package Chinese Taipei, before New Zealand’s Haupai Puha and Mark Cleaver demolished Finland in four straight legs to make the perfect start to Group L.
The losing nations from Thursday’s opening games will now play the third team from each group in Friday's afternoon session, before the decisive final group games are played on Friday evening.
Following the conclusion of the round-robin phase, the draw for the last 16 will take place on Friday evening, as the top four seeds England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland enter the fray in Saturday's second round.
The BetVictor World Cup of Darts is being broadcast on Sky Sports for viewers in the UK & Ireland, through the PDC's international broadcast partners, including DAZN and Viaplay, and on PDCTV for Rest of the World Subscribers.
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2025 BetVictor World Cup of Darts
Thursday June 12
First Group Matches (Seeded Nation v Nation 2)
Sweden 4-1 Lithuania (G)
Czechia 4-2 Chinese Taipei (J)
Japan 4-3 Croatia (K)
Republic of Ireland 4-2 Gibraltar (D)
Malaysia 4-1 Canada (F)
Hong Kong 4-1 USA (I)
Poland 4-3 South Africa (E)
Belgium 4-1 Latvia (B)
Netherlands 4-0 Italy (A)
Germany 4-2 Portugal (C)
Austria 4-1 Spain (H)
New Zealand 4-0 Finland (L)
Friday June 13
Afternoon Session (1200 local time)
Second Group Matches (Thursday's Losing Team v Nation 3)
Lithuania v France (G)
Chinese Taipei v India (J)
Croatia v Switzerland (K)
Gibraltar v China (D)
Canada v Denmark (F)
USA v Bahrain (I)
South Africa v Norway (E)
Latvia v Philippines (B)
Italy v Hungary (A)
Portugal v Singapore (C)
Spain v Australia (H)
Finland v Argentina (L)
Evening Session (1900 local time)
Third Group Matches (Thursday's Winning Team v Nation 3)
Sweden v France (G)
Czechia v India (J)
Japan v Switzerland (K)
Republic of Ireland v China (D)
Malaysia v Denmark (F)
Hong Kong v Bahrain (I)
Poland v Norway (E)
Belgium v Philippines (B)
Netherlands v Hungary (A)
Germany v Singapore (C)
Austria v Australia (H)
New Zealand v Argentina (L)