Campbell Makes History with Back-to-Back North American Championship Title Wins

Matt Campbell etched his name into the history books on Saturday by becoming the first player to successfully defend the bet365 North American Darts Championship crown, overcoming fellow Canadian Jim Long 6-3 in a hard-fought final at Madison Square Garden.

Returning to the same iconic New York stage where he lifted the trophy last year, Campbell once again rose to the occasion, producing a string of high-quality performances to secure the $10,000 winner’s prize and cement his status as one of the continent’s elite.

The 35-year-old opened his campaign with a blistering 6-1 quarter-final win over Jason Brandon, where he posted the first three-figure average in the tournament’s history—a stunning 103.98. He followed that up with another composed display in the semi-finals, dropping just two legs against Stowe Buntz and landing six of his 11 double attempts en route to a 6-2 win.

Campbell kept that momentum going in the final, bouncing back from an early deficit to win three legs on the bounce and take control of the match. Long twice battled back to narrow the gap, but Campbell kept his cool, finishing with a pair of clean double-top checkouts to seal the victory and claim a second consecutive North American crown.

“It’s an amazing feeling,” Campbell said after the win. “It’s tough playing someone you’re close to like Jim—we’ve practiced together for years. We were both waiting for the other to kick into gear, but in the end, I got the job done and that’s what counts.”

While Campbell’s triumph marked a major milestone for the tournament, he was quick to downplay the idea of being the region’s undisputed number one.

“I don’t see myself as the best in North America,” he said modestly. “There are loads of great players out there who just don’t get the same opportunities. It’s tough travelling across such a massive continent—if everyone had the same chances I’ve had, it would be a very different story.”

Despite the win, Campbell won’t automatically qualify for the 2025 World Darts Championship or the Grand Slam of Darts. As a current member of the PDC’s top 64, he’s already eligible through the main tour system. That means his qualifying spot will now go to the highest-ranked non-qualified player on the final CDC ProTour Order of Merit, while the Grand Slam invite will be awarded to the winner of the 2025 CDC Continental Cup.

Long, meanwhile, can take plenty of positives from his run to the final. He began his day with a gritty 6-4 victory over Adam Sevada before producing one of the moments of the tournament in his semi-final clash with Danny Lauby. Long closed out that match in style with a spectacular 132 checkout—bull, bull, double 16—to cap a 6-1 win.

However, he was unable to replicate that level of performance in the final, something he attributed to nerves and the pressure of facing a close friend.

“I just never settled,” Long admitted. “Honestly, I feel terrible. Maybe I was trying too hard. Me and Matt go way back, and it’s tough to go toe-to-toe with someone you’ve shared the journey with. Still, I’ll take the positives from this.”

Campbell Makes History with Back-to-Back North American Championship Title Wins

Elsewhere in the competition, Buntz impressed in his quarter-final, securing a dominant 6-0 win over Jules van Dongen. The Dutch-American has been battling a recurring nerve issue in his throwing arm and was visibly struggling during the match.

Lauby also enjoyed a strong start to his day, reeling off five consecutive legs in a 6-1 rout of Leonard Gates to reach the final four. However, he ran into an inspired Long and was unable to mount a serious challenge in the semi-final.

With Campbell lifting the trophy once again and new stars continuing to emerge across the North American circuit, the region’s darts scene appears to be in a healthy place heading into the second half of 2025.

As the focus now shifts to the bet365 US Darts Masters final session, North America’s finest have once again proven they can rise to the occasion on one of the sport’s biggest stages.

Campbell’s victory did not earn him a spot in the World Darts Championship or the Grand Slam of Darts because he was ranked in the top 64 in the world.

The 2025 CDC Continental Cup winner will play in the Grand Slam of Darts, and the top-ranked non-qualified player on the final 2025 CDC ProTour Order of Merit will now qualify for the World Darts Championship.