Gerwyn Price has been ruled out of participating by defending champions Wales in the 2024 BetVictor Darts World Cup due to health concerns.
Price partnered Jonny Clayton to beat Scotland in last year’s final, their second World Cup title after beating England in 2020, and was scheduled to compete again in the doubles event.
The world number 4 has been ruled out of this week’s tournament in Frankfurt, live on Sky Sports, and will be replaced by Jim Williams to represent Wales alongside Clayton.
Speaking before Gerwyn Price’s withdrawal, Germany’s Martin Schindler explained why he felt Wales were the favorites to triumph in the upcoming World Cup of Darts.
“I’m very disappointed to have to miss the World Cup and I always love representing Wales,” said Price. “I wish Jonny and Jim Williams the best of luck this weekend and hopefully they can bring back the title!”
Williams receives the last-minute call-up as the next highest-ranked Welsh player in the PDC Order of Merit and will make his World Cup debut.
Under PDC rules, with the World Cup of Darts draw already made for the group stage, Wales retain their status as second seeds and will enter the event in Saturday’s second round at the Eissporthalle.
The four highest-ranked nations receive a bye into the first round, based on the lowest PDC Order of Merit ranking of the two competing players, while the remaining 36 teams will be split into 12 groups of three with only the winners advancing to the round of 16.
The second round is divided into two sessions on Saturday before the quarter-finals are played on Sunday afternoon, with the tournament culminating in the semi-finals and final on Sunday night. The eventual champions will win a total of £80,000 in prize money.
Top seeds and four-time champions England will be represented by world champion Luke Humphries, making his World Cup debut, and Michael Smith, but Luke Littler will not take part as the two highest-ranked English players in the PDC Order of Merit are chosen. .
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