Esports World Cup Street Fighter 6: Full groups revealed

The Esports World Cup for Street Fighter 6 is set to kick off in a couple of days, and the groups have been revealed following the conclusion of the Last Chance Qualifier.

The Last Chance Qualifier was a tournament in which the top six players earned spots alongside the 26 already qualified competitors. The tournament was won by Dual Kevin, who defeated Hibiki in the grand final, with both booking their places in the main event.

They were joined by two more Japanese players, Moke and Itabashi Zangief. The list of six was rounded out by Xian, who will make his first appearance at the Esports World Cup since it adopted its current name in 2024, and Lexx, who has established himself as a strong competitor in Street Fighter 6 over the past few years.

There will be four groups of eight players. All matches will be first-to-three (FT3), with each group played in a GSL-style double-elimination bracket. Four players from each group will qualify for the second stage, which will feature 16 players split into two groups of eight and will follow the same format as the opening stage. The top eight players will then advance to the final stage, which will shift to a single-elimination bracket with every set played as a first-to-five (FT5).

The groups have produced some promising potential matchups, including one between MenaRD and Daigo. The two recently played a prestigious FT10 exhibition, which Mena won 10-6, and both have expressed a desire to face each other again.

There's also the potential for a team kill between ZETA DIVISION's Higuchi and Yamaguchi, who are both in Group C and could face one another. Yamaguchi recently won Evo Japan, securing his first Tier 1 tournament victory, while Higuchi is still searching for his first major title despite consistently delivering strong tournament performances.

The Esports World Cup begins on July 29 and runs until August 1, 2026.