Republic of Ireland Paired With Singapore and Uganda in World Cup of Darts Group Stage

The Republic of Ireland has drawn Singapore and Uganda in its group-stage matches for the World Cup of Darts, with the tournament taking place in Frankfurt from June 11-14. Limerick veteran Willie O'Connor and Tyrone's Mickey Mansell will represent Ireland for the first time as a pairing, while defending champions Northern Ireland enters the competition as third seeds in the knockout stage.

Ireland's Squad and Opening Fixture

O'Connor, ranked 38th in the PDC order of merit, recently reached the final of Wednesday's Players Championship 19 before losing to Ross Smith. Mansell, positioned 47th in the rankings, also advanced to the quarter-finals of Tuesday's Players Championship 19. This pairing marks their debut together representing the Republic of Ireland, with O'Connor having previously competed for Northern Ireland.

Ireland's first assignment comes against Singapore on Thursday, June 11. Paul Lim, the 72-year-old veteran, will partner Phuay Wey Tan for the Singapore team. Uganda's representation comes from Patrick Ocheng and Juma Said. The three teams will compete in a round-robin format, with the group winner advancing to the knockout rounds.

Tournament Structure and Top Seeds

The World Cup of Darts features 40 nations divided into 12 groups of three for the group-stage phase, with 12 seeded nations included in the draw. England, Netherlands, Northern Ireland, and Scotland enter as the four highest seeds and skip directly to the last-16 stage. England will field world number one Luke Littler alongside Luke Humphries, the reigning world champion, as the English pair attempts to claim the title for a sixth time. The Netherlands team comprises Gian van Veen and Michael van Gerwen, while Scotland debuts Cameron Menzies alongside Gary Anderson.

The tournament will be contested at Frankfurt's Eissporthalle, with matches scheduled across four days beginning June 11.