Luke Humphries believes he and Luke Littler have the power to achieve a new England jackpot. The darting elite hope their success on the oche can inspire a historic World Cup double for their country.
Historic Victory in Frankfurt
Humphries and Littler justified their status as the world's top two players by winning the World Cup of Darts for the first time as a pair in Frankfurt. Humphries had previously won the title in 2024 with Michael Smith, but this triumph with Littler was particularly meaningful after their disastrous early exit in 2025.
Phil Taylor and Adrian Lewis formed a dominant duo, winning the World Cup four times for England between 2012 and 2016. However, Humphries and Littler have the potential to surpass that record as a team.
Aiming for Long-Term Dominance
Humphries, the world number two, expressed his ambition: "I hope we're back for the next 10 years. Phil Taylor and Adrian Lewis are two of the greatest English players ever. We'd be blessed to follow in their footsteps and even match them. There's no guarantee I'll be back next year, but I hope Luke and I can play together for the next five to 10 years and win more than just one title."
The duo overcame the disappointment of their 2025 performance, where they lost their first match and faced criticism. Humphries reflected: "Last year we lost the first game, and people said we couldn't play together. But we just had one bad game. It's not about proving others wrong; it's about proving ourselves right. We know how good we can be as a team. Many doubted us, but we proved to ourselves we could do it. This was a special win."
Inspiring England's Football Team
England's football team begins their World Cup campaign against Croatia on Wednesday. Humphries joked: "I don't think they'll be watching us for inspiration! But if it gives them five percent, then happy. They have a great chance. We did our job and picked up the trophy. It would be really nice to see the double. We've done our part; we'd love to see them do theirs, though it will be tough."
Littler's Quest for a Clean Sweep
Littler's World Cup win means he is now only a European Championship success away from winning every major title in darts. The European Championship takes place in October, and Littler said: "If I keep playing the way I do, I have a brilliant chance."
He acknowledged that Humphries will be a rival for the rest of the year: "It's good if he gets that winning feeling, but from my side, it's not so good! It's not like I won on my own; Luke didn't either. It was a team effort. Now we'll be battling all year round for years to come."
Humphries added: "It's good for the sport. We push each other, and whoever wins, wins."
