Fans feel for darts star as he’s first player in Premier League’s 20-year history to be snubbed after major achievement

ONE darts star has made history in the wrong way after being snubbed for the Premier League.

Belgian thrower Mike De Decker has become the first player in the Premier League’s 20-year history to miss out on the lineup after winning a major televised on Sky Sports.

GettyMike De Decker has become the first player in Premier League history to miss out on a spot after winning a Sky major[/caption]

GettyDe Decker won the World Grand Prix darts in October[/caption]

De Decker, 29, was overlooked for the eight-man lineup for the 2025 Premier League announced yesterday.

The Real Deal was tipped to make the cut after he won the World Grand Prix back in October.

But he didn’t make the grade after the PDC beaks decided upon a lineup of Luke Humphries, Luke Littler, Gerwyn Price, Michael van Gerwen, Rob Cross, Stephen Bunting, Nathan Aspinall and Chris Dobey.

There has been a pattern of major winners missing out on the lineup in recent years, but De Decker becomes the first one to win a Sky Major and fail to be chosen.

Fans have taken to social media to explain that they feel sorry for De Decker with many hoping to see him take part in the travelling tournament.

One wrote: “De Decker should of been in. Dobey or Asp out”.

While another added: “MDD is robbed! The Asp is just in for his walk on”.

And a third simply commented: “Sickening”.

Major winners who missed out

Here’s a look at every major winner to have ever missed out on a spot in the Premier League

Paul Nicholson (2010)
Rob Cross (2022)
Danny Noppert (2022)
Ross Smith (2022)
Andrew Gilding (2023)
Dimitri Van den Bergh (2025)
Ritchie Edhouse (2025)
Mike De Decker (2025)*

*Major televised on Sky Sports

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De Decker did struggle elsewhere throughout last year and was a disappointment in the World Championship, losing in the second round to world number 35 Luke Woodhouse.

PDC Chief Executive Matt Porter explained the decision to leave De Decker out after the announcement.

Speaking on Sky Sports, he said: “Mike is an outstanding talent and is someone that undoubtedly we will see in Premier League Darts in the future.

“We didn’t feel he was quite ready. There’s a lot of tournaments throughout the year. We’ve seen players in the past, I don’t want to embarrass by naming them, but players like Danny Noppert, Ross Smith and Andrew Gilding that have won TV tournaments.

“But you have to show that you can compete in the latter stages of TV tournaments on a regular basis.

“Doing it once is fantastic and is something that you will always have but to really be part of the elite, you have to be doing it on a regular basis over multiple years.”

De Decker appeared to give his own thoughts on the matter on social media too, sharing a post to his story that read: “Once I don’t give af, there’s literally nothing you can do about it”.

Premier League Darts 2025: Dates and venues

Night 1 – The SSE Arena, Belfast – Thursday February 6
Night 2 – OVO Hydro, Glasgow – Thursday February 13
Night 3 – 3Arena, Dublin – Thursday February 20
Night 4 – Westpoint Exeter – Thursday February 27
Night 5 – The Brighton Centre – Thursday March 6
Night 6 – Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham – Thursday March 13
Night 7 – Utilita Arena, Cardiff – Thursday March 20
Night 8 – Utilita Arena, Newcastle – Thursday March 27
Night 9 – Uber Arena, Berlin – Thursday April 3
Night 10 – AO Arena, Manchester – Thursday April 10
Night 11 – Rotterdam Ahoy, Rotterdam – Thursday April 17
Night 12 – M&S Bank Arena, Liverpool – Thursday April 24
Night 13 – Utilita Arena, Birmingham, Thursday May 1
Night 14 – First Direct Arena, Leeds – Thursday May 8
Night 15 – P&J Live, Aberdeen – Thursday May 15
Night 16 – Utilita Arena, Sheffield – Thursday May 22
Play-Offs – The O2, London – Thursday May 29