The decision was announced during the ongoing 2017 edition, currently being held in Japanese city Kobe.

Denmark beat off competition from Germany to secure the event.

"We are incredibly proud that the WDF has appointed Esbjerg as the host city for the WDF World Cup in 2021," Esbjerg Mayor Johnny Søtrup said.

"We are looking forward to planning the biggest darts event that the city has ever seen."

Sport Event Denmark claims the Danish Darts Union (DDU) has doubled the amount of members and clubs in the country over the past eight years and that interest in darts is at its highest in recent times.

Esbjerg has been hosting the Denmark Open and Denmark Masters on an annual basis since 2014.

The tournaments, organised in corporation with Sport & Park Event Esbjerg, attract many well-known and international darts players.

"Germany had a really good bid, but I think our big engagement at DDU is a fact," Carsten Jeppesen, Elite Committee chairman at the DDU, said.

"In addition, that we are known for staging great international events with expertise and competence, and provided good bid material, determined the result.

"This is huge for the sport of darts in Denmark.

"We in the DDU are looking forward to welcoming the world of darts to Esbjerg together with Esbjerg and Sport Event Denmark."

Sport & Park Event Esbjerg have previously put on major international sporting events together with Sport Event Denmark, including in 2011 the World Women's Curling Championship.

"With our bid we hit bull's eye," Lars Lundov, chief executive of Sport Event Denmark, said.

"Esbjerg has a lot of experience with international darts events and Denmark has lots of experience with major, international sporting events.

"Together we will put darts and Denmark on the world map."

Men's singles action begun today at the 2017 WDF World Cup at the Kobe International Exhibition Hall.

Canada's Jeff Smith will meet Australia's Raymond Smith in the final on Saturday (October 7) after both successfully came through the knock-out rounds.

In the semi-finals, The Netherlands' Willem Mandigers lost 6-1 to Canada's Smith and Germany's Ricardo Pietreczko was beaten by the same scoreline by Australia's Smith.

The girls' singles final will be between Iran's Deniz Hashtbaran and the Republic of Ireland's Katie Sheldon.

Hashtbaran beat Turkey's Emine Dursan 5-2 in the penultimate round, while Sheldon defeated The Netherlands' Layla Brussel 5-0.

The final, like that in the men's singles event, is scheduled for Saturday.