'The trouble we went through to even get there...' - Co Stompé recalls dramatic Dutch win at first ever PDC World Cup of Darts

The 2025 World Cup of Darts gets underway this Thursday at the Eissporthalle in Frankfurt, Germany. Once again, the Netherlands will be among the title contenders, with this year’s Dutch pairing featuring Danny Noppert and World Cup debutant Gian van Veen. If the duo succeed, it would mark a fifth title for their country in the PDC’s prestigious pairs tournament.

The Netherlands boasts a rich history in the competition, having lifted the trophy in 2010, 2014, 2017 and 2018. Only England have been more successful since the event's inception.

The tournament was first held in 2010 in Houghton-le-Spring, England, where the Netherlands made an immediate impact. Represented by Raymond van Barneveld and Co Stompé, the Dutch duo triumphed in a dramatic final, edging out Welsh pair Mark Webster and Barrie Bates 3–2. Van Barneveld would later go on to win three more titles alongside Michael van Gerwen, cementing the Netherlands’ reputation as one of the World Cup’s powerhouses.
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Speaking on the Weekly Dartscast podcast, one half of the inaugural World Cup winning team Co Stompé, recalled his memories of that iconic triumph. "Oh it was absolutely brilliant, especially because it was the first one ever played in the PDC!" begins the now 62-year-old Dutchman.

However, their path to glory very nearly came to an abrupt end before a dart had even been thrown. "The trouble we went through to even get there..." Stompe recalls. "There was a snow blizzard on the day before we flew. So our flights were cancelled. We couldn't get there."

"They started on the Friday afternoon, and my wife managed to get us a flight on the Friday morning," he continues. "So they picked us up from the airport, straight to the hotel. Dress up, and then to the venue and play. So it was a close call, otherwise we would not have been there!"

Stompé’s gritty performance alongside Van Barneveld remains a defining moment in Dutch darts history. Now, 15 years on, it’s up to Noppert and Van Veen to attempt to write the next chapter.