Hosted at the Eissporthalle, the event promises a festival of tungsten as 40 nations contest the four-day extravaganza from June 12th to 15th.
Reigning champions England, led by the world number one Humphries and teenage phenom Littler, enter the fray on Saturday, alongside fellow top-four seeds Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
The remaining 36 teams begin battle earlier, split across 12 groups of three.
Only the top side from each pool progresses to the last 16, where the seeded quartet await.
All matches across both group and knockout phases will be contested in pairs, placing a premium on chemistry and cohesion.
England's to lose?
England's duo possess both, with Humphries fresh off a Premier League triumph over Littler, and the pair already demonstrating an affinity that could prove decisive.
Notably, Littler boasts a 2025 win rate of over 70 per cent across all televised formats, while Humphries has averaged over 98 per cent on three-dart visits across major events this year.
"We believe we can win it," Humphries told the PDC. "If we perform at our best, it's going to take something special to stop us."
Littler's debut appearance has unsurprisingly stolen pre-tournament headlines, but England's invincibility is not guaranteed.
Wales' Gerwyn Price and Jonny Clayton are hunting a third title after successes in 2020 and 2023.
In both those campaigns, they dropped just one match en route to lifting the trophy. Clayton, returning to form and full of trademark bullishness, made no secret of his intent.
"I don't care that Luke and Luke are world number one and two, us Welsh boys are going to stop them," declared Clayton.
Old guard reunites
Scotland reunites Gary Anderson and Peter Wright in a seasoned pairing with a rich history, having won the title together in 2019.
However, Wright has struggled for consistency in 2025, with a tournament average dipping below 93 in recent televised events.
Anderson, on the other hand, has enjoyed a low-key renaissance, reaching the last eight of two majors in 2024.
Northern Ireland field Josh Rock and Daryl Gurney, blending raw power with experience.
Power-scoring Rock, who has hit 35 180s in his last five televised outings, could prove to be a game-changer if he finds rhythm early.
Dutch debut delight
The Netherlands enter unfamiliar territory, beginning their campaign in the group stage for the first time under the current format.
Danny Noppert and World Youth Champion Gian van Veen face Italy and Hungary in Group A, but the Dutch can ill afford complacency.
Italy's Michele Turetta, buoyed by last year's quarter-final appearance and a tournament-high checkout percentage of 48 per cent, could provide the first major upset of the tournament.
Van Veen, on debut, sees the team's tight-knit dynamic as an edge. "Danny and I know each other really well. We practice a lot together, and I think that connection is very important."
Belgium's recalibrated duo of Mike De Decker and Dimitri Van den Bergh are another wildcard.
De Decker has risen to 20th in the Order of Merit, while Van den Bergh has the pedigree, having reached World Championship semi-finals in 2023. If they click, Belgium could emerge as dark horses.
The wildcards to watch
Host nation Germany turn to Martin Schindler and Ricardo Pietreczko to harness home support.
Schindler, recently a steady performer on the Euro Tour, has averaged 95+ in his last three events, while Pietreczko, known for his heavy scoring, is always a notable wildcard.
Ireland's William O'Connor and Keane Barry bring blend and bite, and will look to avenge their underwhelming 2023 campaign where they failed to progress from the group stage.
Group H has the makings of a bloodbath. Last year's runners-up, Austria, led by Mensur Suljovic, must navigate past Spain and the 2022 champions, Australia.
Simon Whitlock and Damon Heta may no longer be in peak form, but still averaged 96 as a pairing during their 2022 title run.
A Spanish side anchored by rising star Toni Alcinas, who hit four 100+ checkouts in last year's event, could also spring a surprise.
Further afield, the tournament's increasing global reach is evident.
Debutants Argentina and returning teams like Chinese Taipei and India add colour and unpredictability. Then there is Singapore's eternal icon Paul Lim, 71 years old and still darting with guile.
Lim's presence in Group C adds not just nostalgia but the possibility of a timeless upset. Singapore have reached the last 16 three times since 2014, often punching well above their ranking.
The group stage concludes Friday evening before the top seeds enter on Saturday, with the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final all taking place in a stacked Sunday schedule.
England may be favourites at 2/5, but the tournament's structure and quality of opposition leave them with little margin for error in a format where unity often trumps individual brilliance, and where pressure produces both diamonds and disasters.