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June marks a relatively quieter period on the PDC Tour following the high-intensity months of Premier League Darts and a packed European Tour schedule.
With the Euro Tour briefly making way for the summer leg of the World Series, attention now shifts to the World Cup of Darts — a unique event on the calendar. There are also a handful of floor tournaments and a crucial stretch in the Women’s Series, where top female players battle for major championship places.
June 6-7: Nordic Darts Masters
As in previous years, the summer swing of the World Series kicks off in Copenhagen with the fifth edition of the Nordic Darts Masters, held at Forum Copenhagen on Friday 6 and Saturday 7 June.
In true World Series style, eight of the PDC’s elite face off against eight top regional talents. Headliners include Luke Littler and Luke Humphries, while local hopes rest with the likes of Norway’s Dutch-born Cor Dekker and Sweden’s Jeffrey de Graaf, also originally from the Netherlands.
Michael van Gerwen claimed the inaugural title in 2021, defeating surprise finalist Fallon Sherrock. Since then, Dimitri Van den Bergh (2022), Peter Wright (2023), and Gerwyn Price (2024) have added their names to the roll of honour.
June 7-8: Women's Series 13-16.
The weekend of 7–8 June features four Women’s Series events, giving the world’s top female players a crucial opportunity to score ranking points and qualify for televised majors.
This year’s Women’s Series comprises 24 events in total. The top two players in the final standings will qualify for the World Darts Championship, while the number one will also earn a spot at the Grand Slam of Darts.
Importantly, this weekend also marks the final qualification opportunity for the Women’s World Matchplay in Blackpool. The winner of that tournament secures a World Championship ticket and Grand Slam berth. As it stands, Beau Greaves, Noa-Lynn van Leuven, Fallon Sherrock, Lisa Ashton, Robyn Byrne, Gemma Hayter, Kirsi Viinikainen and Lorraine Winstanley are provisionally qualified. Meanwhile, established names like Aileen de Graaf and Rhian O'Sullivan sit just outside the cut and will be desperate to make a late push.
June 12-15: World Cup of Darts.
One of the true highlights of the darts calendar returns as players trade individual glory for national pride in the World Cup of Darts — now fully contested in pairs format.
This year’s tournament features 40 nations, with familiar names such as England, Wales, Scotland, and the Netherlands joined by teams from Argentina, Bahrain, Taiwan, South Africa, and Malaysia. England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland receive byes into the second round, while the remaining nations begin with a group stage comprising 12 groups of three. Only the group winners progress to the knockout rounds.
England are the reigning champions, having claimed a fifth title last year with Luke Humphries and Michael Smith. In 2025, Smith makes way for Luke Littler, forming a formidable new partnership. Wales’ Gerwyn Price and Jonny Clayton — twice champions themselves — are the biggest threat, with Scotland (Gary Anderson & Peter Wright), Northern Ireland (Josh Rock & Daryl Gurney), the Netherlands (Danny Noppert & Gian van Veen), Belgium (Mike De Decker & Dimitri Van den Bergh) and Germany (Martin Schindler & Ricardo Pietreczko) all considered strong outsiders.
June 17-19: Players Championship 17-19.
For the first time this season, a triple-header of Players Championship events will be held from 17 to 19 June in Leicester, with each tournament offering a £125,000 prize pot.
These events feature up to 128 players — typically all PDC Tour Card holders. If a Tour Card holder withdraws, the highest-ranked players from the Challenge Tour Order of Merit are called up.
With the cut-off for World Matchplay qualification looming on 10 July, these events are crucial for players on the bubble.
June 20: ET9-10 Tour Card Holder Qualifiers.
On Friday 20 June, Leicester also hosts the qualifiers for the ninth and tenth European Tour events of the season — taking place later in Kiel (11–13 July) and Antwerp (29–31 August).
These qualifiers give players without automatic entry a vital shot at making it into the Euro Tour field, which carries significant ranking points and could prove decisive in securing places at the big majors later in the year.
June 27-28: US Darts Masters
At the end of June, the PDC stars head across the Atlantic for the US Darts Masters, taking place once again at the iconic Madison Square Garden in New York on 27 and 28 June.
Luke Humphries and Luke Littler will be the main attractions for American fans, while the North American contingent includes Jules van Dongen, Matt Campbell and Leonard Gates.
Rob Cross returns as defending champion, having edged out Gerwyn Price 8–7 in last year’s final. Previous winners also include Michael van Gerwen (2017 & 2023), Gary Anderson (2018), Nathan Aspinall (2019) and Michael Smith (2022).
June 28: North American Darts Championship
Also at Madison Square Garden, the North American Darts Championship will be held on 28 June. The top eight players from the continent will battle it out for the title — and more importantly, a place at the World Darts Championship.
This is a key moment for North American fans to support their local heroes, with the stage set for an electric atmosphere in one of the world’s most legendary sporting venues.
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TODAY'S BEST
Steelers have big concern as team reportedly doesn't think key player takes his job seriously
The Pittsburgh Steelers have been in the sports news cycle throughout the 2025 offseason. It has been an extremely busy time for general manager Omar Khan and the rest of the front office. Moves have been made on both sides of the ball, which has fueled excitement in a city that has not seen a playoff win since the 2016 campaign. One of the more intriguing pieces to the puzzle as training camp gets underway isn't necessarily any of the new faces, but rather, a group that returns its core from 2024. The offensive line is expected to play a crucial role. Offensive line coach Pat Meyer is on the hot seat for what seems like the third year in a row, and his training camp got off to the wrong start when the most experienced member of his unit, Isaac Seumalo, was placed on the non-football injury list. This will provide a challenge during team development, as offensive linemen need to build rapport with one another and be in unison once the regular season kicks off. Another storyline is the presence of 2023 first-round selection, Broderick Jones. The Steelers traded up to pick him out of the University of Georgia, but he has yet to live up to the hype. In all fairness, he was drafted to be a left tackle, but hasn't gotten the chance to play there permanently. He will have the opportunity to do so in his third professional season, and he has a fifth-year option to consider that could be declined in the 2026 offseason if he underperforms. One of the most team's most respected insiders, Gerry Dulac, appeared on the "Steve Jones Show" on Wednesday, and when the left tackle came up in discussion, it wasn't all positive. The Steelers apparently believe he can be a phenomenal lineman, but they aren't convinced he is completely bought in. "They really really think Broderick Jones is immensely talented," Dulac said of the third-year offensive lineman. "They would just like to see him mature, kind of professionally, personally [and] take his job and his performance just a little more seriously." This is certainly a concerning comment from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reporter. Jones was looked at as a raw prospect coming out of college, but he always possessed the size and talent to be a great player in the NFL. If he isn't taking his job seriously enough, it would suggest that he is trying to rely on his skills alone, which is never good enough at the highest level. The offensive line has the ability to determine how the Steelers' 2025 season goes. With a 41-year-old quarterback in Aaron Rodgers, the big men up front will need to keep the guy under center upright. The team will also want to run the ball effectively, so it will be imperative to create holes and win the line of scrimmage on a consistent basis. Pittsburgh isn't necessarily starting off training camp on the right foot with Seumalo unable to participate in team activities, and now the comments from Dulac surely will be cause for concern when it comes to Jones, who has yet to convince the fan base that he was worth a first-round pick in 2023. If he wants to remain in the Steel City long-term, Jones should be preparing to be the most serious individual in the locker room. Steelers should have one clear advantage on the offensive line Zach Frazier was selected in the second-round back in 2024, and he was one of the most important rookies in the NFL. Entering his sophomore season, he is expected to not just take a step forward, but play like a Pro Bowler. While there could be some questions and inconsistencies in certain spots, Frazier should be the No. 1 guy that the group can rely on week in and week out.
Commanders unveil surprise defensive wrinkle at camp that could shake up the NFL
The Washington Commanders will have a squad full of new faces on the field this season, especially on the defensive side of the ball. The pass-rush unit in particular has been a work in progress all offseason, with veterans Javon Kinlaw, Deatrich Wise Jr., Jacob Martin, and Eddie Goldman all among the additions to a defensive line that will need all the help it can get. Then, just when it seemed like the smoke had cleared, Adam Peters went out and signed Super Bowl 50 MVP Von Miller. How will all the new pieces fit together? We may have gotten a glimpse on the first day of training camp. Commanders already pulling out all the stops to make revamped defensive line work It's going to require some creativity to find efficient combinations with the Commanders' defensive front, particularly on the edge. Joe Whitt Jr. duly obliged with an intriguing formation that nobody saw coming. It was expected from the moment Miller signed that his primary position would be on the edge, despite playing most of his career as an outside linebacker. It's unclear if he will be a starter or more of a situational piece, perhaps a specialist to mostly come in on third downs, and this specific set seems to imply the latter. What's more intriguing here is using Luvu as an edge rusher, while moving Dorance Armstrong Jr. inside. The hard-nosed linebacker became a quick fan favorite after he was signed on a bargain last offseason, finding a long-term home in Washington following stops with the New York Jets and Carolina Panthers. Luvu racked up a career-high eight sacks en route to being named a second-team All-Pro last season. He certainly knows how to rush the passer when given opportunities. Armstrong is a player who could perhaps benefit from being moved around a bit, especially if Miller is going to take some of his snaps on the outside. He was solid but unspectacular during his first season in Washington after coming over from the rival Dallas Cowboys, compiling five sacks. More will be needed this time around. It's also notable that this set does not include Kinlaw, Washington's highest-priced defensive acquisition this summer. The former San Francisco 49ers star is another player who Whitt has hinted at wanting to use in different ways, so it will be interesting to see where he fits if Armstrong is going to take snaps inside. All in all, it's clear that Whitt is trying to make the most out of a situation that everyone knows is less than ideal. Only time will tell how it works out. More Commanders news and analysis
Nationals OF makes Catch of the Year candidate to rob home run
Washington Nationals outfielder Jacob Young delivered a Catch of the Year candidate with a spectacular grab he made on Wednesday. Young’s Nationals lost 5-0 to the Cincinnati Reds at Nationals Park in Washington D.C. on Wednesday, and the score could have been worse if not for Young. Will Benson was batting for Cincinnati with a runner on third base and two outs in the top of the eighth inning with his team leading 3-0. He belted a first pitch 96 mph fastball to deep center, but Young climbed the wall in center field to rob Benson of a 2-run home run. Here is a slow-motion version of the catch that shows Young climbing the wall to make the catch. What a catch by Young. Although Benson gave that pitch quite a ride, the metrics suggest it would have been a home run in only five MLB ballparks, so a flyout was an anticipated outcome. You just wouldn’t expect that ball to become an out in the manner that it did. Holy cow.
This Pirates star is a hot commodity ahead of the trade deadline
With the July 31 MLB trade deadline looming, rumors are starting to fly. The expanded postseason bracket has more teams believing that they're still in the mix, which makes it hard to identify which teams are buying or selling. However, one team that certainly won’t be making the playoffs is the Pittsburgh Pirates (42-61). Some of the Pirates' veteran players have been floating around in trade talks over recent weeks, though one name that emerged on Wednesday is the most interesting of them all. According to beat writer Noah Hiles of the Post-Gazette, star outfielder Oneil Cruz has been drawing significant interest leading up to the deadline. "Sources told the Post-Gazette the Pirates have received many calls on Cruz, who boasts three years of remaining club control after 2025 and is arbitration eligible starting next season. It’s worth noting the Pirates are not actively shopping Cruz but are listening to what other teams are willing to offer. There have been no teams connected to Cruz as of the time of this writing,” Hiles wrote. Hiles went on to mention that any return package is hard to predict given Cruz’s inconsistencies thus far, despite his obvious special abilities. It makes sense that other teams would be intrigued by the possibility of acquiring the 26-year-old in hopes of unleashing his potential in a new location. Just about every team in the league could use a powerful left-handed bat added to the middle of their order. Through 91 games in 2025, Cruz has piled up 16 HRs and 40 RBI but is hitting at just a .219 average through Tuesday. His numbers are down from the 2024 season, though the baseball world saw his power on display at the Home Run Derby last week in Atlanta. It's fair to say it would take a pretty substantial offer to actually pry Cruz out of Pittsburgh, though it sounds like teams could feel compelled enough to do just that. It would certainly spice things up at a deadline that is lacking in terms of big names potentially being on the move.
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