The World Cup is one of the most exciting events on the darting calendar.
It is the only PDC tournament with a pairs format and gives viewers a chance to watch exciting players from the likes of Asia, The Americas and Oceania.
A host of huge names are set to feature in Frankfurt at the end of the month as World Champion Luke Humphries is set to debut in the tournament.
Here though, we look at the biggest absentees from the doubles event.
5. Rob Cross – England
The newly crowned US Darts Masters Champion partnered Michael Smith last year at the World Cup but will miss out in 2024.
Cross has represented his country four times and has been in fine form over the last 12 months.
Unfortunately for ‘Voltage’, he is a victim of the success of Luke Humphries.
The World Champion won four out of five majors to propel himself to the summit of the rankings, forcing Cross out of the World Cup side as Smith is set to partner ‘Cool Hand’.
With ‘The Bully Boy’ defending three quarters of his ranking money this year as well as Cross’ surge in form, don’t be surprised to see him back in an England shirt next year.
4. Raymond van Barneveld – Netherlands
Raymond van Barneveld is one of the most experienced men to play in the World Cup, appearing eight times and lifting the trophy on four occasions.
The Dutchman has not made the team since winning the tournament in 2018 and despite winning two titles and reaching the top 32 since coming out of retirement, he has yet to threaten a return to the pairs tournament.
With the likes of Michael van Gerwen, Dirk van Duijvenbode and Danny Noppert, the Netherlands faces fierce competition for places, but Van Barneveld’s contribution to the tournament cannot be understated.
3. Daryl Gurney – Northern Ireland
Daryl Gurney and Brendan Dolan have held down Northern Ireland’s World Cup spots for many years, but the rise of youngster Josh Rock over the last 24 months has upset the status quo.
Rock has won on the Euro Tour this year and has quickly become the number one player from his home nation, leading to one of the closest World Cup races we have ever seen between Dolan and Gurney.
‘The History Maker’ picked up a Pro Tour title earlier this year which proved pivotal in the race as Dolan just pipped his former teammate to the shirt, finishing one spot above ‘Superchin’.
Though Gurney will be disappointed not to wear the green of Northern Ireland in 2024, he will back himself to regain the spot from his friend in 2025.
2. Mike de Decker – Belgium
Netflix could make a documentary about Belgium’s World Cup team such are the trials and tribulations.
Last year, stalwarts Kim Huybrechts and Dimitri van den Bergh made the headlines when the pair refused to look at each other during their opening match at the tournament.
It later emerged Van den Bergh and De Decker had made a formal complaint against their compatriot for threatening behaviour which led to a fine for Huybrechts from the Darts Regulation Authority (DRA).
De Decker is over £14k behind Huybrechts in the rankings so is set to miss out on the World Cup again, despite a serious injury to Huybrechts.
‘The Hurricane’ was attacked at a football match last month and has undergone surgery after suffering a double fracture of his collarbone.
Despite this, he is adamant he will be in Frankfurt so it seems De Decker will have to wait at least another year to make his World Cup debut.
And some people said darts wasn’t dramatic!
1. Luke Littler – England
The Premier League Champion is undoubtedly the biggest omission from the World Cup of Darts this year.
The PDC rankings are based on a two-year rolling order of merit with the two highest ranked players representing their country.
With only six months as a professional player, Littler sits at number 25 in the rankings and thus was not eligible to represent England.
This will not dishearten ‘The Nuke’.
After a gruelling travel schedule with his inclusion in the Premier League, the teenager will be glad for the time off.
For now, Michael Smith and Luke Humphries will hope to bring it home for England.
Most would agree however that Littler and Humphries are the two top players in the world and though we won’t see the youngster in the tournament, expect him to be a stalwart for many years and perhaps decades to come.
England’s future appears to be in the hands of the two Lukes which could see Blighty dominate the tournament as they did when Phil Taylor was toeing the oche.