ROAD to EWC: DreamHack Birmingham recap

The two premier fighting game tournaments lit up DreamHack Birmingham over the weekend, as Asian standouts claimed titles in FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves and Street Fighter 6. ZJZ secured the FATAL FURY crown and $17,000 in prize money, while Gachikun took the Street Fighter 6 title and $15,000. Both champions, along with their respective runners-up, have qualified to compete in Riyadh at the 2026 Esports World Cup later this year.

From Riyadh to Birmingham

ZJZ faced a stacked field on his path to the FATAL FURY title, taking on NAVI’s Luis Guadalupe “DarkAngel” Castillo in the Grand Final, who finished third in Riyadh last year. The final, however, proved one-sided, with ZJZ shutting out the rising Mexican contender. Earlier in the bracket, Goichi “GO1” Kishida, the FATAL FURY: COTW champion at EWC 2025, pushed ZJZ to the limit before falling 3-2 in the Upper Bracket Final.

Gachikun’s Street Fighter 6 Grand Final was far more suspenseful. His opponent, Chan “Micky” Pak-yin, opened by sweeping him to reset the bracket, putting the momentum firmly on his side. What looked set to be a one-sided finish quickly turned, as Gachikun adjusted and edged out a 3-2 victory to secure the title. GO1 also made a deep run in the tournament, finishing in third place.

Rematches between several of these heavyweights now look likely when they meet again in Riyadh this summer

Road to EWC: Trackmania Qualifiers

A pivotal qualifier for Trackmania also took place in England over the weekend, as top drivers descended on Birmingham with the sole goal of securing a berth at the EWC 2026

Influential clubs including Team Vitality, Team Falcons, and Team Liquid were represented in Trackmania, as top drivers competed for qualification. Team Vitality’s Thomas “Pac” Cole came out on top, securing one of nine spots in Riyadh. Seven-time world champion Carl-Antoni “Carl Jr.” Cloutier, representing Team Falcons, finished second. Other notable clubs to secure qualification included Twisted Minds, Gen.G, and Team Liquid.

Call of Duty: Warzone Resurgence Series

Two teams dominated the Call of Duty: Warzone Resurgence Series at DreamHack Birmingham, with Team Falcons taking first place by just two points over Twisted Minds. Team Falcons, along with Virtus.pro, Los Corrillos, and Ravens Esports, secured qualification for Riyadh. Twisted Minds did not earn a new berth, as they were already qualified for the EWC 2026 after winning COD: Warzone at EWC 2025.

DreamHack Birmingham served as one of the biggest stops on the Road to EWC ahead of summer. The action across Trackmania, Call of Duty: Warzone, Street Fighter 6, and FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves offered a preview of the high-level competition fans can expect at EWC 2026.