It was a group stage packed with drama, but while most of the sport’s big names made it safely through to the last 16 of the World Cup of Darts, there was one glaring omission — Belgium.

Despite boasting a strong duo in Mike De Decker and Dimitri Van den Bergh, the Belgians became the only top-tier darts nation to suffer an early exit in Frankfurt. And it came in truly dramatic fashion.

Belgium kicked off their campaign confidently, brushing aside Latvia with a comfortable 4-1 win. With the Philippines having also beaten Latvia (4-2), the final group match became a straight shootout to decide who would advance.

At first, it looked routine for Belgium. De Decker and Van den Bergh raced into a 3-0 lead, seemingly cruising into the knockout stage with assured scoring and control. But the match turned on its head.

The Filipino pairing of Lourence Ilagan and Paolo Nebrida staged a remarkable comeback — taking four legs on the spin as Belgium crumbled under the pressure. After seven missed match darts, the Belgians were sent packing, stunned and shellshocked.

Nebrida celebrating the win for Philippines 

This marks the first time ever that Belgium have failed to make it past the group stage at the World Cup of Darts. It’s a bitter blow for a nation that’s produced top-level talent and consistent performances in recent years.

A dejected Mike De Decker took to Instagram after the match to apologise to fans: "Well done to the Philippines! So sorry to everyone supporting us... Felt nervous throughout that game and couldn't settle down."

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