In Frankfurt, the Republic of Ireland exited the World Cup of Darts after a surprising defeat by newcomers, Chinese Taipei. The ninth seeds, William O’Connor and Keane Barry, fought back from a 3-1 deficit to force a deciding leg. However, Teng Lieh Pupo and An-Sheng Lu managed to regain their composure and secure a 4-3 victory, progressing as Group E winners. They had also defeated Lithuania earlier in the day.
On the contrary, Northern Ireland avoided an upset by securing a 4-3 win over Switzerland, booking their spot in the last 16. Josh Rock and Brendan Dolan, the sixth seeds, topped Group B after defeating South Africa 4-1. Australia, Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, hosts Germany, unseeded Italy, Poland, and Sweden also moved on to the next stage.
The heavyweights of England, Wales, Scotland, and the Netherlands will begin their campaigns on Saturday after advancing to the second round automatically. England will face France, Wales will play Croatia, the Netherlands will take on Belgium, and Northern Ireland will compete against Germany. Fans can stream live Sky Sports coverage on NOW with no contract required for Month or Day memberships. Enjoy access to Premier League, EFL, darts, cricket, tennis, golf, and more.