Finland v Norway (World Cup of Darts): odds and bets 11.06.2026

The Scandinavian derby on the opening day promises to be a no-holds-barred battle in Group L, where the bookmakers have been overly conservative in naming the Finnish side as favourites purely on the basis of historical form. Finland take to the stage with the pairing of Jani Haavisto and Jonas Masalin. Whilst it is true that both have a solid reputation on the PDC Nordic & Baltic circuit, their form in major televised events over recent months has been hampered by a lack of consistency. Haavisto is a classic player, precise and measured, but he struggles enormously when facing opponents who impose a heavy scoring burden from the opening turns. Masalin, for his part, is making his debut in this unique setting, and the pressure of representing his country in the doubles format could play tricks on him in the opening legs.

On the other side of the aisle, we find a Norway side arriving with their claws well and truly sharpened. The presence of Cor Dekker completely shifts the balance of this clash. Dekker is a player whose darts are currently of a far higher standard than those of his Scandinavian rivals, with a volume of high-scoring finishes and a solidity in double-out finishes that place him on the cusp of the elite circuit. Teaming up with Kent Jøran Sivertsen, the Norwegians present a compact unit arriving in Frankfurt with the clear intention of causing an upset and claiming top spot in the group. Sivertsen is the ideal complement to Dekker: an ultra-competitive player who doesn’t shy away from the established names and who stands out as an excellent finisher when given escape routes on comfortable doubles such as 16 or 20.

The key to the match will lie in the pace the Norwegian pair manage to set. If Cor Dekker manages to land his usual triples on the first two visits of each leg, he will force Finland to take more difficult shots, an area where Haavisto and Masalin tend to make more mistakes than they should. The best-of-seven-legs format severely punishes teams that take time to get going, and the energy with which the Norwegian duo arrive suggests they are worth backing as underdogs. The value is firmly on Norway’s side, a team with more firepower on the bullseye at the moment.