Craime wins EWC 2026 Street Fighter 6 title with victory over Hibiki

Falcons' Craime has emerged as the Esports World Cup champion for Street Fighter 6 after a dominant grand final performance against Japanese pro Hibiki.

Both players entered the final in unique positions. Hibiki was piloting Lily, one of the game's lowest-ranked characters, while Craime was aiming to become the youngest Street Fighter 6 champion in Esports World Cup history. On his way to the title, Craime defeated two Evo champions, MenaRD and Yamaguchi, to set up a blockbuster grand final.

The victory automatically qualifies Craime for the Capcom Cup and makes him just the second Street Fighter 6 Esports World Cup champion after XiaoHai. He also earned valuable points for Team Falcons in the overall club championship standings. The title awarded Falcons 1,000 points, moving the organization to the top of the leaderboard with only a few weeks remaining in the competition.

Hibiki had already achieved something remarkable by taking Lily all the way to the grand final and can be proud of his runner-up finish, especially considering he qualified for the event through the Last Chance Qualifier.

Fellow Japanese player Hinao finished in third place, while Evo Japan 2026 champion Yamaguchi placed fourth.

For Craime, the victory is especially significant because he has now achieved something his fellow Chilean prodigy, Blaz, has yet to accomplish: winning an international major. Craime has often lived in Blaz's shadow, with many considering Blaz to be the more talented player. However, this victory, coming shortly after Craime's remarkable win over Blaz at the most recent World Warrior Chile event, significantly strengthens his case as Chile's leading Street Fighter 6 player.

With the Esports World Cup now complete, attention turns to the next tournaments as several players continue their pursuit of Capcom Cup qualification. Unfortunately for Hibiki, the Esports World Cup is not part of the Capcom Pro Tour, meaning his outstanding performance will not earn him any CPT points. However, based on his recent form, he remains well-positioned to secure a place at next year's Capcom Cup.