Darts star Mike De Decker has expressed his frustration after being left out of the 2025 Premier League, calling the decision to overlook him “scandalous” and “s***.”
The 29-year-old, who recently won his first major TV title in 2024 by clinching the Grand Prix, was stunned to find himself excluded from the prestigious eight-player tournament.
His Rise and Disappointment
De Decker had been enjoying a strong year, climbing to No. 24 in the world rankings despite facing early exits in several major tournaments, including the World Championship, European Championship, and Grand Slam of Darts.
Still, his win at the Grand Prix was historic—he became the first player in Premier League history to miss out despite winning a major televised event.
This left him questioning the selection process.
His Reaction to the Snub
The Belgian, often known as “The Real Deal,” did not hold back in his reaction.
Speaking to Het Nieuwsblad, De Decker slammed the decision and voiced his belief that other players picked ahead of him “did not deserve it.”
He was especially vocal about the choices of Nathan Aspinall and Gerwyn Price, who both made the cut for the Premier League, despite De Decker feeling that their recent results didn’t justify their places.
“I find their decision a bit scandalous, to be honest,” he remarked, clearly upset over the omission.
He pointed out that Aspinall’s appeal seemed to stem more from his entertaining walk-ons than from consistent results, and he predicted Price would only complain if his form slipped.
“They say that you get into the Premier League based on results, but apparently that is not the case,” he added.
PDC’s Response and De Decker’s Counterarguments
PDC chief executive Matt Porter explained that De Decker “wasn’t quite ready” for the Premier League, a remark the Belgian disagreed with.
“I didn’t think that explanation was fair,” he said.
While De Decker acknowledged that he had questioned his readiness after his Grand Prix victory, he believed he had since proven he could compete with the best players in the world.
“I confirmed at other tournaments that I can compete with the world’s best,” he emphasized.
Porter’s comments seemed to echo a pattern of previous snubs.
He mentioned players like Danny Noppert, Ross Smith, and Andrew Gilding, who had won TV tournaments but were still excluded from the Premier League in the past.
According to Porter, it’s not just about one-off victories but showing consistency in the latter stages of major tournaments.
The Rest of the Line-Up
Meanwhile, the 2025 Premier League will feature reigning champion Luke Littler, who is still basking in his World Championship win, as well as World No. 1 Luke Humphries.
Other top players, including Michael van Gerwen, Rob Cross, Gerwyn Price, Stephen Bunting, Nathan Aspinall, and Chris Dobey, will also compete in the tournament, which kicks off in Belfast on February 6.
With De Decker’s name missing from the list, the darts world will be watching closely to see how this story unfolds.
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