Less than a year after Martin Schindler and Ricardo Pietreczko produced one of the biggest shocks in World Cup history—beating England 8-4 in Frankfurt—Team Germany returns to the Eissporthalle with the same lineup but surrounded by more question marks than optimism. Last year's semi-finalists, who also edged Australia in a decider to reach the last four, now face a battle against form and dartitis as they prepare to defend their status as national heroes.
Germany's number one Martin Schindler, traveling as team captain for the third time, has struggled for consistency in 2026. After five months, 'The Wall' holds a 49 percent win rate—a sharp drop from 64 percent in 2025, 60 percent in 2024, 56 percent in 2023, and 63 percent in 2022. His season started with a 65 average in a 6-0 loss to Maik Kuivenhoven at the first Players Championship, which Schindler later described to DartsNews: 'At the first Players Championship I realised I wasn't myself at all. I could twist and turn it however I wanted – I just wasn't in control. I think only the body was functioning, and my head felt like it was two meters to the side.' His best result remains a semi-final at Players Championship 15, and he sits 53rd in the Players Championship Order of Merit after 20 events. On the European Tour, where he was a three-time champion in 2024 and 2025 and finished top of the Order of Merit in 2024, he has only two quarter-finals and three first-round exits in eight events this year.
Ricardo Pietreczko's battle with dartitis has been even more dramatic. After a strong finish to 2025, the 31-year-old first showed signs of a throwing issue at the German Darts Grand Prix in Munich, where Nathan Aspinall offered help on stage. The problem escalated: at Players Championship 14, Pietreczko abandoned his first-round match against Jeffrey de Zwaan after two legs averaging under 60, followed by first-round defeats with 76 and 66 averages. Despite calls for Niko Springer to replace him, Pietreczko insisted he would play the World Cup unless something 'worse' intervened. At the International Darts Open in Riesa, he unveiled a radically reworked throwing action reminiscent of 2010 World Cup champion Co Stompé, reaching the final day of a European Tour event for the first time this season with wins over Maik Kuivenhoven and Danny Noppert. He followed that by reaching the board final at Players Championship 20.
Captain Schindler addressed the possibility of Pietreczko withdrawing in an interview on the European Tour in Graz: 'I'll be honest: that's in Ricardo's hands. If he says he feels up to it and trusts himself and his game, then I trust him too. But if he's equally honest and says he won't do it, then I respect that—and I genuinely think that would be a very, very good and mature decision.' Pietreczko, however, confirmed in a Twitch chat in mid-May that he would play unless something 'worse' happened, and at the International Darts Open he stated he would be fit for the World Cup start.
Despite the struggles, the article notes that Schindler has flashed world-class level with averages of 113.79, 108.78, and 105.90 in quarter- and semi-final runs, while Pietreczko's resilience in overhauling his throw under pressure shows his big-game pedigree. With expectations lower than last year, the duo may benefit from reduced pressure as they return to the scene of their greatest triumph.