ENGLAND will open their Cash Converters World Cup of Darts Challenge against Spain or Japan at the Rainton Meadows Arena on Friday night.
The 24-nation tournament will be played from December 3-5 at the Houghton-le-Spring venue, and screened live on Sky Sports.
The first round, to be played on Friday afternoon, sees the nations ranked 9-24 competing - including Ireland v Slovakia, Russia v Gibraltar, Germany v the Czech Republic and Spain v Japan.
The winners will progress to play against the world's top nations on Friday night, with English pair Phil Taylor and James Wade - the world's top-two ranked players - drawn to play either Spanish pair Carlos Rodriguez and Antonio Alcinas or Japan's Haruki Muramatsu and Taro Yachi.
The Netherlands, the number two seeds who will be represented by Raymond van Barneveld and Co Stompe, will take on German pair Jyhan Artut and Andree Welge or the emerging Czech duo of Martin Kapucian and Pavel Drtil.
Number three Seeds Australia, for whom Simon Whitlock and Paul Nicholson will compete, take on either Irish duo Mick McGowan and William O'Connor or the Slovakian pair Peter Martin and Oto Zmelik.
Scotland, the number four seeds who will be represented by Gary Anderson and Robert Thornton, could face Russian pair Anastasia Dobromyslova and Roman Konchikov or the Gibraltar team of Dylan Duo and Dyson Parody.
Welsh duo Mark Webster and Barrie Bates will take on New Zealand or Poland, while Canada, including three-time World Champion John Part, meet Finland or Belgium, the USA take on Sweden or Slovenia and Northern Ireland meet Austria or Denmark.
Meanwhile, organisers from the Professional Darts Corporation are offering free admission to Friday's opening session of the World Cup of Darts.
Fans who had purchased tickets are being offered a refund, but as a gesture of goodwill given the recent snow and ice which has affected the north-east the PDC will now open their doors for the first round.
Tickets can be reserved in advance by calling 0871 220 0260 or via www.seetickets.com/worldcupofdarts.
Tickets for other sessions are still available through SeeTickets.
Cash Converters World Cup of Darts
Schedule of Play
First Round
Friday 1pm-5pm
8 x matches between teams ranked 9-24
Finland (12) v Belgium (21)
Jarkko Komula & Marko Kantele v Patrick Bulen & Rocco Maes
Sweden (15) v Slovenia (18)
Magnus Caris & Par Riihonen v Osmann Kijamet & Sebastijan Pecjak
Austria (14) v Denmark (19)
Mensur Suljovic & Maik Langendorf v Per Laursen & Vladimir Andersen
New Zealand (13) v Poland (20)
Phillip Hazel & Warren Parry v Krzsystof Kciuk & Krzsystof Ratajski
Russia (16) v Gibraltar (17)
Anastasia Dobromyslova & Roman Konchikov v Dylan Duo & Dyson Parody
Germany (10) v Czech Republic (23)
Jyhan Artut & Andree Welge v Martin Kapucian & Pavel Drtil
Spain (11) v Japan (22)
Carlos Rodriguez & Antonio Alcinas v Haruki Muramatsu & Taro Yachi
Ireland (9) v Slovakia (24)
Mick McGowan & William O'Connor v Peter Martin & Oto Zmelik
Best of 11 legs, 501 Doubles, Loser Throws First
Second Round
Friday 7pm-11pm
8 x matches between afternoon winners drawn randomly against eight seeds.
Canada v Finland/Belgium
USA v Sweden/Slovenia
Northern Ireland v Austria/Denmark
Wales v New Zealand/Poland
Scotland v Russia/Gibraltar
Netherlands v Germany/Czech Republic
England v Spain/Japan
Australia v Republic of Ireland/Slovakia
Best of 11 legs, 501 Doubles, Loser Throws First
Saturday December 4
Group Stage
Group A: four winners from Round Two, top two progress to semi-finals.
Each team plays each other team once in a match that consists of two best of five leg singles and a best of five leg doubles.
Top ranked player from each country plays second ranked player from opposition, then reverse singles, then doubles.
One point is awarded per singles match won, two per doubles.
All points count to overall league table.
Loser throws first, leg difference separates teams tied on points.
Group A will be formed of seeds 2, 3, 6 and 7 (or the teams that defeat them) and Group B will be formed of 1, 4, 5 and 8 (or the teams that defeat them).
Group Stage Match Order
1v2, 3v4
Loser v Loser, Winner v Winner
Then remaining games
Saturday 1pm-5pm
Group A
1. Netherlands/Germany/Czech Republic
2. Canada/Finland/Belgium
3. Northern Ireland/Austria/Denmark
4. Australia/Republic of Ireland/Slovakia
Saturday 7pm-11pm
Group B
1. England/Spain/Japan
2. USA/Sweden/Slovenia
3. Wales/New Zealand/Poland
4. Scotland/Russia/Gibraltar
Sunday December 5
Afternoon Session (1pm-5pm)
Semi-Finals
Top two from each group on Saturday progress to semi-finals.
Winner Group A v Runner-Up Group B
Winner Group B v Runner-Up Group A
Semi-finals consist of four best of 11 singles followed by a best of 11 doubles match (if required).
One point is awarded per singles match won, two per doubles.
Loser throws first.
If the match finishes all square (3-3) a sudden death doubles leg will be played with a bull-up on stage to determine who throws first.
Evening Session (7pm-11pm)
Final
Two semi-final winners contest final.
Final consists of four best of 15 singles matches and a best of 15 doubles match (if required).
One point is awarded per singles match won, two per doubles.
Loser throws first.
If the match finishes all square (3 - 3) a sudden death doubles leg will be played with a bull-up on stage to determine who throws first.
Tickets for the Cash Converters World Cup of Darts are still available by calling 0871 220 0260 or by visiting www.seetickets.com/worldcupofdarts.