On Thursday, the 2026 World Cup of Darts gets underway in Frankfurt, and Austria once again enters as a potential dark horse. With two finals in the past five years, the Alpine republic has proven it can never be counted out. Mensur Suljovic, making his 16th World Cup appearance, is one of only two players—alongside William O'Connor—to have featured at every single staging of the tournament. This year, he is partnered for the second time by Rusty-Jake Rodriguez, the 25-year-old who stepped in permanently after his brother Rowby-John lost his Tour Card at the end of 2024.
Austria's greatest World Cup success came in 2021, when Suljovic and Rowby-John Rodriguez reached the final against all odds, defeating the Philippines, Belgium, Northern Ireland, and England before losing 1-3 to Scotland. In 2024, the pair repeated the feat, topping their group after wins over China and Guyana, then edging past Chinese Taipei and Croatia, and beating Belgium in the semifinals before falling 6-10 to England's Luke Humphries and Michael Smith. However, the first joint campaign of Suljovic and Rusty-Jake Rodriguez in 2025 ended in disappointment, with Austria exiting in the group stage despite averaging 99 points against Spain and over 90 against Australia.
This year, Austria faces France and China in Group I. France is represented by Thibault Tricole and Nicolas Thuillier, while China sends Zhan Qingyu and Zong Xiachen. Both nations have players with big-stage experience, but Austria enters as the group favourite. Suljovic is enjoying a resurgence, climbing to No. 53 in the world rankings with a semifinal, a quarterfinal, two last-16 runs, and multiple averages over 100 on the Pro Tour. In contrast, Rusty-Jake Rodriguez sits at No. 129, having earned just £10,000 in prize money in a year and a half on tour, with only nine match wins in 2026. Despite this, the duo's doubles play looked strong last year, offering hope for a deep run.
Reaching the last 16 is Austria's first target, and with a favourable draw, a quarterfinal is realistic. If Suljovic's current form carries over and he can lift Rodriguez, even the semifinals are within reach. As the article notes, anyone who reached the final in 2021 and 2024 should not be underestimated in 2026. Suljovic and Rodriguez will do everything to write the next chapter of this success story.
