Jonny Clayton and new partner Nick Kenny opened Wales’ World Cup campaign with a 4-1 victory over Lithuania’s Darius Labanauskas and Mindaugas Barauskas in Group C. Clayton delivered a decisive 146 checkout and finished with a tops‑tops finish, securing the win and giving the Welsh pair a confident start for the upcoming knockout rounds.

Price’s absence left Wales with Kenny as the seventh seed, while Germany’s Martin Schindler and Ricardi Pietreczko demolished the Philippines 4‑0 in Group A, posting a 101.9 average that echoed their 2025 upset of England’s Luke Littler and Luke Humphries. The German duo’s haul sets a high bar for rivals ahead of the next group encounters and the last‑16 showdown.

Ireland’s Willie O’Connor and Mickey Mansell delivered a 4‑1 win over Singapore, with O’Connor firing a 122 checkout and leading four legs on the spin. The match also marked the first time a player has represented two nations, as O’Connor switched from Northern Ireland, while 72‑year‑old legend Paul Lim’s effort ended in a single highlight in the late.

The United States edged Australia 4‑3 in Group G, while Hong Kong stunned Belgium 4‑2 in Group B. Other groups saw Poland 4‑1 over Portugal, Austria 4‑1 against China, and Sweden 4‑2 versus South Africa. With the group stage wrapping on Friday, the top four seeds will advance to the last‑16 in the competition for the final.