The Street Fighter League: World Championship 2025 concluded on Sunday, March 15, 2026. While the archived video was released at the end of March, the atmosphere at the venue was truly special. Therefore, we are releasing 68 photos from the venue all at once!
Looking Back at the Street Fighter League: World Championship 2025
The tournament featured a gathering of powerhouses, including:
- REJECT (Japan representative)
- Bandits (U.S. representative)
- Ninjas in Pyjamas (Europe representative)
With such a talented lineup, it wouldn't have been surprising no matter who won. However, since the venue was the Ryogoku Kokugikan, the cheers for the Japanese representative, REJECT, were a bit louder.
Aru (@papatiwawa), who has been working tirelessly up to this point.
Ryan Hart (@RyanJosephHart), who has also been working tirelessly up to this point.
Saiga NAKLet's get into it!
Having maintained a perfect winning streak so far, REJECT is the closest to the championship.
The Grand Finals: Player Entrances!
The Dragon of the West, Chris Tatarian (@Chris_Tatarian)!
The Concrete Wolf, Booce (@Booce_Lee)!
El Androide, Caba (@SPM_CABA)!
THE STRONGEST BULL, MenaRD (@_MenaRD__)!
Although they represent the U.S., Bandits is a popular team in Japan, centered around MenaRD, who is renowned as one of the strongest players in SF6.
THE BEAST, Daigo Umehara (@daigothebeastJP)!
Attack on Heavy Tank, Fuudo (@TheFuudo)!
Korean Gold Finger, Leshar (@leshar15)!
REJECT the Limit, Tokido (@tokidoki77)!
REJECT, the team currently closest to becoming world champions, heads into the final battle.
Saiga NAKThe challengers, the Bandits, are also intensifying their focus.
The fans in the audience also bear witness to the battle to decide the strongest.
The Match Begins!
Saiga NAKIn the first round, REJECT earned 40 points with three consecutive wins.
Saiga NAKHowever, Bandits fought back in the second round with consecutive wins in the Vanguard and Center positions, taking the battle into the third round.
During the interval, we encountered Kotetsu (@NO79369371) and Yano (@nomo_info) from NO MOTION., who are well-known for their Street Fighter II impressions! They were spotted actively providing fan service throughout the tournament.
Saiga NAKThen came the third round. The audience's excitement reached its peak!
The Vanguard match of the third round was Leshar vs. Booce. REJECT was at match point; winning just one more match would secure their victory.
Saiga NAKAs the spectators watched with bated breath, that moment finally arrived.
The Winner Is REJECT!
Leshar won the match, and REJECT brilliantly secured the championship!!
Although each match was a close contest, it felt as though the REJECT players were slightly ahead. Bandits finished in 2nd place!
REJECT Is Awarded the Prize Money and Championship Rings
Saiga NAKOnce again, the winner is REJECT!
Yukiko Yoshino, Executive Officer and Chief Branding Officer of Taiyo Holdings, which has provided prize money support for four consecutive years, presented the $100,000 prize.
Then, the president and COO of Capcom Co., Ltd., Haruhiro Tsujimoto, personally handed championship rings to each player.
It’s finally starting to sink in. It has been a truly long road to get here. Since our defeat last year, we’ve practiced every single day without fail. I want to thank everyone who supported us, everyone who practiced with us, everyone who cheered us on at the venue, and everyone who supported us from across the internet. Thank you so much!
(Translated from Japanese)
I can finally rest (laughs). We worked so hard every day with my teammates for this victory, so it has become a wonderful memory. My challenge in Japan ends today, but after a little rest, I’d like to take on a new challenge.
(Translated from Japanese)
The joy of being released from the pressure is incredible. Team games are really tough; we practice together and there's no time to rest until the tournament is finally over. By giving it my all, I realized before I knew it that I had become quite strong. I felt like if we kept up this environment every year, we could even win the CAPCOM CUP.
(Translated from Japanese)
Man... this team is too strong, seriously too strong (laughs). I’ve never been on a team like this, and while it feels almost unfair to win like this, I'm very happy. I played Street Fighter at the Ryogoku Kokugikan when I was 13, and I never would have thought I’d still be playing this game 32 years later (laughs). I started fighting games at 10, won my first major tournament around 15, and a lot has happened since then. I'm grateful and feel I have a happy life being able to stand on this stage and win at this age.
(Translated from Japanese)
See You Next Year at the Ryogoku Kokugikan!
While the celebratory mood was still going strong, Haruhiro Tsujimoto returned to the stage. It was announced that next season's CAPCOM CUP 13 and Street Fighter League: World Championship 2026 will also be held at the Ryogoku Kokugikan in Japan. With the total prize pool increasing, the heated battles will continue!
The Street Fighter League: World Championship 2025 started with a special live performance by MIYAVI (@miyavi_ishihara).
It has come to a successful close.
Kuramochi and Fuudo, a married couple, also took a snap on stage.
Since the members were announced in July 2025, REJECT has lived up to its reputation as the strongest team. While shaking off that pressure, they brilliantly became world champions, performing just as expected. Once again, congratulations on the victory!
