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Capcom Cup
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Capcom Cup
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Capcom Cup
GameFighting games
Ultra Street Fighter IV
Street Fighter V
Street Fighter 6
Founded2013
FounderCapcom
CountryUnited States
Most recent
champion		"Kakeru"
QualificationCapcom Pro Tour
Official websitecapcomcup.com

The Capcom Cup is an annual fighting game tournament specifically focused on the Street Fighter series. The event's first incarnation was in 2013 which featured Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition version 2012, Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3, and Street Fighter X Tekken version 2013 as the three main games each with 8 qualifiers.[1] In 2014, Capcom Cup was an Ultra Street Fighter IV exclusive tournament with 16 qualifiers. The 2015 Capcom Cup was doubled to a 32-man format and was later increased to a 48-man format beginning with Capcom Cup IX in 2022–23. The series of qualifying events for the tournament are known as the Capcom Pro Tour and include many of the largest, most prestigious pre-existing fighting game tournaments such as Evolution Championship Series and DreamHack.

History

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2010s

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2013

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In 2013, Capcom started the Capcom Cup right after EVO 2013, with Ho "Xian" Kun Xian receiving a special invitation.[2] Capcom released qualifier dates to determine the seven remaining qualifiers.[3] Capcom created a poll to decide which players would make it into the Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 tournament, with Nemo, Justin Wong, KaneBlueRiver, IFC Yipes, Abegen, NYChrisG, Filipino Champ, and MarlinPie being voted in.[4] For their Street Fighter X Tekken tournament, Capcom also gave special invites to Infiltration, Justin Wong, Alex Valle, and NuckleDu. The other four players were determined by two respective PlayStation Network and Xbox Live tournaments.[5]

Capcom Cup 2013 was hosted at the Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport in Burlingame, California on December 14, 2013. There was some controversy regarding the EVO 2013 Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 champion Job "Flocker" Figueroa being cut from the player lineup. In response, Capcom set up a First-To-Five exhibition match between EVO Champ Flocker, and the Capcom Cup 2013 champion. The victor of the Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 tournament, NYChrisG faced off against Flocker and defeated him. There was also two exhibition matches for an early build of Ultra Street Fighter IV; the first being Eduardo "PR Balrog" Perez-Frangie against Alex Valle, and the second being Infiltration vs. Filipino Champ.[6]

Capcom Cup 2013 tournament results
Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition v2012
Place Player Alias Character(s) Qualification
1st Japan Naoto Sako HORI|Sako Evil Ryu Treta Aftermath
2nd Singapore Kun Xian Ho DM.MCZ|Xian Gen Special Invite for winning EVO 2013
3rd Japan Keita Ai RZR|Fuudo Fei Long Capcom Cup Asia Finals
4th Japan Tatsuya Haitani Haitani Makoto Tokyo Game Show 2013
5th Japan Hajime Taniguchi MCZ|Tokido Akuma Shadowloo Showdown 2013
5th Singapore Ghim Kee Eng DM.MCZ|Gackt Fei Long Capcom Cup Asia Finals
7th United States Christopher Gonzalez AGE|NYChrisG Sakura The Fall Classic 2013
7th France Alioune Camara BCN-esports|Alioune Cammy Play Expo 2013
Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3
Place Player Alias Character(s)
1st United States Christopher Gonzalez AGE|NYChrisG Morrigan/Doctor Doom/Vergil
2nd United States Michael Mendoza EMP|IFC Yipes Spencer/Vergil/Hawkeye, Dante/Vergil/Magneto, Wesker/Dante/Spencer
3rd United States Ryan Ramirez coL|Filipino Champ Magneto/Doctor Doom/Phoenix, Magneto/Dormammu/Doctor Doom
4th Japan Naoki Nemoto BE|Nemo Nova/Doctor Strange/Spencer
5th United States Justin Wong EG|Justin Wong Wolverine/Storm/Akuma, Wolverine/Spencer/Frank West
5th Japan Genki Abe BE|Abegen Tron/Thor/She-Hulk
7th United States Kyohei Lehr BT|MarlinPie C. Viper/Doctor Doom/Amaterasu
7th Chile Nicolás González BE|KaneBlueRiver Hulk/Haggar/Sentinel
Street Fighter X Tekken v2013
Place Player Alias Character(s) Qualification
1st South Korea Seon-Woo Lee Infiltration Jin/Alisa Special Invite
2nd United States Dexter James EMP|Tampa Bison M. Bison/Rolento Online Qualifier
3rd United States Justin Wong EG|Justin Wong Hwoarang/Chun-Li Special Invite
4th United States Alex Valle LU|Alex Valle Yoshimitsu/Lars Special Invite
5th United States Du Dang DSC.EMP|NuckleDu Guile/Zangief Special Invite
5th United States Alexander Ramos KS|Ramos Vega/Cammy Online Qualifier
7th United States Garrett Palmer THEZOMBIEDRIVER Hwoarang/Nina Online Qualifier
7th United States Sareth Sok KS.CORN|Sethlolol Law/Kuma Online Qualifier

2014

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Main article: Capcom Cup 2014

In 2014, Twitch and Capcom partnered up to create an Ultra Street Fighter IV circuit known as the Capcom Pro Tour.[7] Ten players would automatically qualify into the tournament and the other six would garner points. The Capcom Pro Tour featured a point system divided into four tiers. Tier 3 consists of six Online Tournaments, which are the lowest earning tournaments in the circuit. Tier 2 is for Ranking Tournaments, which are international tournaments that are mainly composed of players in a certain region. Tier 1 consists of nine Premier Tournaments. A player would automatically qualify upon winning the tournament or being the highest player who hasn't qualified. Evolution Tier consists of the Evolution Championship Series, which grants the player four times the points of a Premier Tournament and also gives the winner an automatic spot in the Capcom Cup. Capcom has removed Tier 3 (Online Tournaments) from the 2015 Capcom Pro Tour circuit.[8]

Capcom Cup 2014 was the conclusion of the Capcom Pro Tour in 2014. Capcom Cup 2014 was held at The Warfield in San Francisco, California on December 13, 2014. One notable appearance in the Capcom Cup was a Brazilian player named Eric "ChuChu" Moreira Silva, who qualified by garnering majority of his points from the online tournaments.[9] Another notable moment was Momochi's dominant performance; taking a set off of Snake Eyez, losing a set to Ryan Hart, then completely dominated everyone in the tournament.[10] There were also two exhibition matches for the Ultra Street Fighter IV Omega Mode, a mode which changes how every character plays. The main exhibition was Alex Valle vs. Ryan "Filipino Champ" Ramirez, and the secondary exhibition was Kelvin Jeon going up against Hooman "Hoodaman" Ghahremani.[11] Capcom also showed the first ever match of their upcoming game Street Fighter V with Twitch's Mike Ross using Ryu going up against Capcom's Peter "Combofiend" Rosas using Chun-Li.[12]

2015

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Main article: Capcom Cup 2015

Capcom Cup 2015 was announced by Yoshinori Ono at Capcom Cup 2014. The tournament will use the same ruleset as the previous year. Capcom Pro Tour 2015 has a total pot bonus of $500,000 thanks to a partnership between Sony Computer Entertainment and Capcom.[13] The tournament has also been doubled from 16 qualifiers to 32. One of the spots was reserved for 2014's Capcom Cup champion, Yusuke Momochi.[14] In May, Capcom announced a new rule for the Capcom Pro Tour Premier events, stating that if the Top 4 players in a Capcom Pro Tour premier event have all qualified, Capcom will remove the automatic qualifying spot and add a new qualifying slot to the CPT Leaderboards.[15]

Capcom Cup 2015 was held December 6 at Moscone Center in San Francisco, California, coinciding with the PlayStation Experience conference.[16]

2016

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Main article: Capcom Cup 2016

Capcom Cup 2016 is to be held in December 2016. 32 players will qualify for the tournament by winning one of the eleven Capcom Pro Tour Global Premier Events, Evo 2016, one of the four regional events, or by scoring high on the Points Leaderboards. Street Fighter V was released shortly before the start of the 2016 Capcom Pro Tour and has replaced Ultra Street Fighter IV during this season.

Capcom Cup 2016 was held over December 2 and 3 of that year. The top 32 to top 8 portion of the tournament was held on December 2 at the esports Arena in Santa Ana, California, while the top 8 portion was held on December 3 at that year's PlayStation Experience at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California. The tournament was eventually won by NuckleDu, defeating Ricki Ortiz in the finale.

2017

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Main article: Capcom Cup 2017
See also: Capcom Pro Tour 2017

Capcom moved away from auto-qualification spots in Capcom Pro Tour 2017. This was done to simplify the Pro Tour, as confusion arose around the Global and Regional Leaderboards throughout the 2016 season. Capcom's Neidel "Haunts" Crisan also noted in November 2016 that CPT 2017 may host fewer events than the 2016 season.[17]

Saúl Antonio Mena "MenaRD" from the Dominican Republic, with only 17 years old, won the Capcom Cup 2017. He won 3-1 to Tokido from Japan. In his road to confront Tokido, he beat famous pro-player as Daigo The Beast, Nemo, Itazan and the previous Capcom Cup winner Xian.[18]

2018

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Main article: Capcom Cup 2018
See also: Capcom Pro Tour 2018

Capcom Cup 2018 was held in the Esports Arena in Las Vegas on December 14–16. The tournament began with a "Last Chance Qualifier" event, which filled the final spot of the 32-person Capcom Cup bracket.[19] The tournament's first prize was set to $250,000 USD. Capcom Cup 2018 was won by Kanamori "Gachikun" Tsunehiro, defeating Hiromiki "Itabashi Zangief" Kumada in the grand finals. No. 1 seed and Evo 2017 champion Taniguchi "Tokido" Hajime dropped out early during the tournament, alongside various other high-seeded players.[20]

2019

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Capcom Cup 2019 was held at The Novo in Los Angeles, California from December 13–15, 2019. Similar to the 2018 edition, the event began with a Last Chance Qualifier before going into tournament proper. The tournament was won by Derek "iDom" Ruffin after defeating Victor "Punk" Woodley in the grand finals.[21]

2020s

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COVID-19 suspension

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The COVID-19 pandemic brought a suspension to all offline events for the Capcom Pro Tours of 2020 and 2021.[22] All events during both seasons were held online and their respective Capcom Cups were cancelled and replaced by an online Season Final tournament in both seasons.

Capcom Cup IX (2022–23)

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After over three years, the Capcom Cup made its return with Capcom Cup IX, the culmination of the Capcom Pro Tour 2022. The tournament took place at Avalon Hollywood in Los Angeles from February 14–19, 2023. The first prize for this tournament was decreased to $120,000. The tournament was won by Saul Leonardo "MenaRD" Mena II.[23]

Capcom Cup X (2023–24)

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The Capcom Cup X, much like IX, was held at Avalon Hollywood from February 21–25, 2024 as the culmination of the Capcom Pro Tour 2023. It was the first edition to be played in Street Fighter 6 and featured a prize pool worth over $2,000,000. It was preceded by the Last Chance Qualifier to fill in the final spot of the 48-person bracket. Capcom Cup X was won by Wang "UMA" Yuan-hao, who won the first prize of $1,000,000, the largest ever for a fighting game tournament.[24][25]

Capcom Cup 11 (2024–25)

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See also: Capcom Pro Tour 2024

Capcom Cup 11 will be held sometime in 2025 and will take place at the Ryōgoku Kokugikan in Tokyo, Japan. The first prize is set to remain at $1,000,000.[26]

References

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[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Capcom Cup

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from Grokipedia
Capcom Cup is 's flagship annual tournament dedicated to its series, serving as the grand finale of the Capcom Pro Tour (CPT) where 48 elite players from around the world vie for the title of global champion through a competitive format. The event highlights the pinnacle of competitive play, with participants qualifying via points earned in regional and premier CPT events, culminating in group stages followed by single-elimination matches. Recent editions have featured substantial pools exceeding $1 million USD in total, including a $1 million grand for the winner, marking some of the largest payouts in history. Initiated in 2013 as Capcom Cup I, the tournament originally encompassed multiple titles such as : Arcade Edition and , but has since evolved to focus exclusively on the latest mainline installment, starting with in 2016. Early champions included in 2013, Momochi in 2014, and Kazunoko in 2015, establishing the event as a of the (FGC). The series gained prominence with increasing international participation and production quality, transitioning to venues like in and Ryogoku Kokugikan in for immersive live audiences. In the modern era, Capcom Cup has seen record-breaking viewership and prizes, with Capcom Cup X in 2024 awarding UMA of the $1 million top prize after defeating a field of 48 in , solidifying its status as a major spectacle. The following year, Japanese player Kakeru, who retired in October 2025 due to health issues, claimed victory at Capcom Cup 11 in March 2025, defeating 15-year-old Chilean prodigy Blaz in the grand finals to secure the championship and another $1 million payout. As of November 2025, Capcom Cup XII is scheduled for March 2026, continuing the tradition with a prize pool of $1,282,000 and qualification tied to the ongoing CPT season. The tournament not only crowns individual talent but also fosters global FGC growth through broadcasts, community events, and partnerships.

Overview

Establishment and Objectives

The Capcom Cup was established in 2013 as the company's first official global fighting game tournament, marking its direct entry into organizing premier esports events. Initially, the competition featured multiple Capcom titles, including Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition (2012), Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3, and Street Fighter X Tekken. The core objectives of the Capcom Cup are to crown the world champion among Capcom's titles, foster the development of a global ecosystem, and position the event as the ultimate showcase for elite players through structured, fair competition that engages the broader community. By determining the top performers via qualifiers and high-stakes matches, it aims to elevate the visibility of , inspire aspiring competitors, and enhance the overall appeal of the genre through professional production and . Held at the Airport in , , the inaugural event included eight invited players per game bracket, representing a shift from Capcom's prior role of sponsoring independent tournaments like EVO to hosting its own . Starting in 2014, the tournament transitioned to a single-game format centered on Ultra Street Fighter IV as the flagship title, refining its focus on one core discipline. It has since integrated as the annual finale of the Capcom Pro Tour.

Role in the Capcom Pro Tour

The Capcom Pro Tour (CPT), launched in 2014, is an annual competitive circuit organized by to promote esports, consisting of regional qualifiers, premier offline events, and online leagues where players earn points based on their tournament performances. These components form a structured pathway that identifies and ranks top talent globally, with events distributed across regions including , , , and to ensure broad international participation. Capcom Cup serves as the pinnacle of the CPT, functioning as the year-end world finals where the top 40 to 48 players—determined by cumulative points from the season's rankings—compete in a high-stakes bracket for the title of world champion. This positions the event as the ultimate reward for a season of competition, crowning the victor as the premier player of that year and amplifying the tour's prestige. The integration of Capcom Cup with the CPT evolved from its alignment with the tour's debut in , coinciding with Capcom Cup II and using Ultra Street Fighter IV as the featured title, which helped standardize qualification and expand the ecosystem's reach beyond standalone tournaments. Subsequent seasons have refined this framework, incorporating more diverse regional circuits to funnel elite players into the finals and fostering a cohesive global narrative for the competitive year. Securing victory at Capcom Cup provides enduring career benefits, including top seeding in subsequent CPT events, heightened visibility that attracts sponsorships from gaming brands and organizations, and lasting recognition as the definitive champion, often propelling players to full-time professional status.

Format

Qualification Criteria

The primary pathway to qualifying for Capcom Cup is through accumulating points in the Capcom Pro Tour (CPT), a global circuit of ranked events that includes Premier tournaments such as EVO and CEO, regional major events, and the online World Warrior circuit. Players earn points based on their placements, with totals calculated from their top three finishes across regular tournaments in their region, emphasizing consistent high performance over the season. This point-based system ensures that dedication to the tour's schedule directly influences qualification chances, as Capcom Cup serves as the culminating event of the CPT. Capcom Cup typically features 40 to 48 players, with slots allocated through a combination of direct invites and regional achievements. As of the 2025 CPT season for Capcom Cup XII, eight spots go to winners of the season's Premier events, six to the top overall point earners from those Premiers, 24 to champions of the CPT World Warrior regional finals across 20 regions and four super regions, and four to the highest point earners in super regions; additional reserved spots include one for the prior Capcom Cup champion, four for Street Fighter League world winners, and one for the Esports World Cup champion. For Capcom Cup XI (qualified via the 2024 CPT season and held in 2025), 48 players qualified via the rankings and associated pathways, without a traditional last-chance qualifier, using a prior structure with 10 spots from Premier events and 38 from World Warrior events. As of November 2025, the World Warrior regional finals for the 2025 CPT season are in progress, determining additional qualifiers for Capcom Cup XII. The qualification criteria have evolved significantly since the tournament's inception. In the early years from 2013 to 2016, spots were earned through game-specific qualifiers for titles like Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition and , often involving separate online and offline events per game. By 2017, the system shifted to a unified CPT leaderboard focused on , centralizing points accumulation and expanding to include regional finals for broader representation. Recent updates, such as the 2025 integration with the Esports World Cup, have added dedicated qualification slots to further globalize access. Eligibility requires players to officially register for the CPT, adhere to Capcom's , and represent a single designated region to prevent dual entries. Participants must also meet age thresholds—typically at least 13 years old—and comply with local rating and residency laws for participating regions.

Competition Structure

The Capcom Cup employs a multi-stage format designed to accommodate a large field of elite players while ensuring competitive depth and viewer engagement. In its early iterations from to , the event featured smaller participant pools ranging from 8 to 32 players, utilizing direct double-elimination brackets without preliminary group play to determine the champion. For example, the inaugural edition involved an 8-player double-elimination bracket, while the event expanded to 32 players in a similar double-elimination structure with best-of-5 matches throughout. Following the growth of the Capcom Pro Tour after 2017, the format evolved to handle larger fields and promote balance, introducing group stages starting with Capcom Cup X in 2024 to mitigate seeding risks in expanded brackets of 48 players. This shift addressed the challenges of direct brackets in high-stakes events, allowing for round-robin play to identify top performers before entering elimination phases. In recent events like Capcom Cup XI in 2025, the 48 qualified players are divided into 8 groups of 6 through a random draw, where each group competes in a single round-robin format. The top two players from each group— the group winner seeding directly to the winners' side and the runner-up to the losers' side—advance to a 16-player double-elimination finals bracket held on the event's final day. Match rules adhere to standard guidelines, with 99-second round timers and matches decided by the first player to win two out of three rounds. Group stage matches are best-of-3 sets (first-to-2 wins), escalating to best-of-5 sets (first-to-3 wins) in the finals bracket, including the grand finals. Players select a character before each set and are locked to it for the duration of the set, a rule consistent across Capcom Cup eras for titles. In earlier multi-title events, additional rules applied to team-based games like vs. Capcom 3. The event typically spans 3 to 4 days, incorporating opening ceremonies, side exhibitions, and live streaming via the Fighters network on Twitch for global accessibility. The 2025 edition, for instance, took place over March 5–8 at the in , , culminating in a best-of-5 grand finals to crown the world champion.

History

Early Years (2013–2016)

The inaugural Capcom Cup in 2013 marked the beginning of Capcom's organized global championship for its fighting game series, serving as a culmination of regional qualifiers rather than a structured pro tour. Held on December 14 at the Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport in , the event featured multiple titles including Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition, , and , with 16 players competing across brackets in a double-elimination format. In the Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition portion, Japanese player emerged victorious using the character Gen, defeating Singapore's 2-0 in the grand finals to claim the $10,000 prize and the title of world champion for that game. Capcom Cup II, held on December 13, 2014, in , transitioned to a single-game focus on Ultra Street Fighter IV and integrated qualifiers from the newly launched Pro Tour, which awarded points across international events to select the 16 participants. The concluded with Japan's Yusuke "Momochi" Momochi defeating Singapore's 3-2 in the grand finals, primarily relying on while drawing from his versatile team including Decapre and Elena to secure the $30,000 first-place prize from the $50,000 pool. This event established Capcom Cup as the capstone of the Pro Tour, emphasizing competitive circuits over fan voting used in 2013. The 2015 edition, Capcom Cup III, expanded to 32 players on December 5-6 in San Francisco, continuing with Ultra Street Fighter IV amid growing esports interest from the Capcom Pro Tour's global rankings. Japan's Ryota "Kazunoko" Inoue won the double-elimination bracket using Yun, overcoming Daigo Umehara 3-2 in a dramatic grand finals that highlighted the tournament's rising profile and drew significant online viewership as Street Fighter's competitive scene gained mainstream traction. Kazunoko claimed $120,000 from the $250,000 prize pool, underscoring the event's escalating stakes. Capcom Cup IV on December 3-4, 2016, shifted to at the in , accommodating 32 qualifiers from the Pro Tour in a double-elimination format that reflected the new game's launch. American player Du "NuckleDu" Dang became the first U.S. champion, defeating fellow American 3-1 in the grand finals with , earning $230,000 from the $350,000 pool and symbolizing increased international diversity with stronger North American representation. These early tournaments established key patterns, including a focus on North American venues after the 2013 debut, prize pools scaling from 10,000−10,000-50,000 in the Ultra Street Fighter IV era to 250,000−250,000-350,000 by 2016, and a pivot to single-game dominance following the multi-title experiment, all fueled by the Capcom Pro Tour's role in identifying top talent through ranked events.

Mid-2010s Growth (2017–2019)

The Mid-2010s marked a period of significant expansion for , as solidified its competitive ecosystem following initial format adjustments from earlier years. With qualification tied to the Capcom Pro Tour's growing slate of premier and ranked events, the tournaments drew a more diverse pool of international talent, emphasizing strategic depth introduced by mechanics like V-Triggers. Held annually , these events showcased heightened global interest, with 32-player brackets featuring competitors from , , , , and . Capcom Cup V in 2017, hosted December 9–10 at the in , highlighted upsets and regional diversity. Dominican player MenaRD, using Birdie, claimed victory in a dramatic grand final comeback against Japan's (Akuma), winning 3–2 after trailing 0–2. This marked the first Capcom Cup win for a Latin American representative, underscoring the tour's broadening appeal beyond Japanese and North American dominance, with qualifiers from events like the North American and Latin American Regional Finals contributing to the field's variety. The total prize pool reached $380,000, with MenaRD earning $250,000. In 2018, Capcom Cup VI took place December 15–16 at the in , , maintaining the 32-player format amid a $380,000 prize pool. Japanese player Gachikun secured the title with Rashid, defeating Itabashi () in the finals and exemplifying the tour's intense double-elimination structure. The event benefited from 's status as a gaming hub, attracting broader media exposure and reinforcing Street Fighter V's evolving meta around rushdown characters. Capcom Cup VII, held December 13–15, 2019, at the , continued the 32-player bracket with a $379,500 prize pool. American player iDom won using primarily Laura and , rallying from losers' bracket to defeat Punk (Karin) 3–2 in grand finals, amid a field dominated by Japanese competitors like and who advanced deep. This edition reflected Street Fighter V's meta shifts, with characters like Karin seeing widespread adoption, while the recent addition of Lucia highlighted ongoing balance updates—though not pivotal in the finals. iDom's triumph, as a relatively new international traveler, symbolized the tour's maturation in fostering breakout stars. Throughout 2017–2019, Capcom Cup experienced steady growth in global recognition, driven by expanded Pro Tour events that increased qualification pathways and participant diversity. Attendance swelled with each iteration, culminating in thousands of on-site spectators by 2019, complemented by professional HD broadcasts on platforms like Twitch to engage worldwide audiences. Capcom invested in elevated production values, including refined rulesets integrating V-Trigger activations for fair play, which enhanced competitive integrity and viewer immersion during high-stakes matches.

COVID-19 Interruption (2020–2021)

In early 2020, the Capcom Pro Tour (CPT) for Street Fighter V faced widespread disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with multiple in-person events postponed or canceled to prioritize health and safety. By January 2021, Capcom officially announced the cancellation of Capcom Cup 2020—the planned culmination of the 2020 CPT season and originally scheduled for February 19–21 in the Dominican Republic—citing rising global COVID-19 cases and the heightened risks of an in-person gathering despite initial plans for limited attendance. This marked the suspension of the tournament's flagship in-person finals, affecting Street Fighter V's final competitive year as the game's support wound down. The 2021 CPT season similarly lacked a traditional Capcom Cup, with no world finals held amid ongoing pandemic restrictions; instead, the tour shifted entirely to online formats to maintain competitive activity. Key adaptations included regional online qualifiers and events such as , a team-based league in that proceeded virtually with 4-on-4 battles, and major tournaments like EVO Online 2020 and 2021, which drew global participation but lacked the physical venue experience. The 2021 season concluded with an online-only Season Final in February 2022, featuring 40 players (31 qualifiers and 9 invitees) across 20 exhibition best-of-9 matches, but without crowning an official Capcom Cup champion or offering the $300,000 top prize associated with past in-person events. These interruptions profoundly impacted the Street Fighter community, diminishing the in-person excitement and that had fueled the event's growth following strong turnouts in 2017–2019. Players and fans reported restlessness from prolonged virtual competition, contributing to broader burnout amid repetitive online streams and the absence of live crowds, while redirected efforts toward digital content releases for , including Season 5 updates with new characters like Dan in February 2021, Rose in April, and Oro in summer, alongside mechanics like V-Shift to sustain engagement. This two-year absence from 2020 to 2021 stands as the only multi-year break in Capcom Cup's history since its inception in 2013.

Post-Pandemic Revival (2022–2025)

Following the two-year hiatus caused by the , Capcom Cup resumed with its ninth edition in February 2023, serving as the grand finale for : Champion Edition. Held at the & Bardot in , , Capcom Cup IX featured 47 qualified players in a double-elimination bracket, drawing a peak viewership of over 105,000 online despite the absence of major game announcements. BANDITS|MenaRD from the emerged victorious, defeating Zhen 3-2 in the grand finals using his signature Luke character, marking his second Capcom Cup title and solidifying his status as a dominant force in the era. The tournament's revival highlighted Capcom's commitment to hybrid qualification paths, combining online regional events with offline premiers to accommodate global participation amid lingering travel restrictions, while the total prize pool reached $298,500, with MenaRD claiming $120,000 for first place. This event not only capped the 2022 Capcom Pro Tour season but also transitioned the community toward anticipation for , as it was the last major offline gathering under . Capcom Cup X in February 2024 marked the series' full post-pandemic momentum, introducing as the featured title with an expanded 48-player field—the largest in event history—and a groundbreaking $1 million grand prize, elevating the tournament's prestige to new heights. Also hosted at the AVALON Hollywood & Bardot in , the double-elimination format showcased innovative rulesets incorporating 's modern Drive System mechanics, with UMA from winning 3-0 against Chris Wong in the grand finals using Luke, securing the top prize and highlighting the game's balanced character dynamics. The event's total prize pool was $2 million, reflecting Capcom's investment in growth, and attracted over 311,000 peak viewers, underscoring the successful launch of . Building on this success, Capcom Cup 11 was held in for the first time, held March 5–9, 2025, at the historic sumo arena in , accommodating 48 players in a double-elimination with a $1.282 million prize pool. Kakeru from dominated the competition, defeating Blaz 3-1 in the grand finals with Juri, earning $1 million and celebrating a homecoming triumph that drew 14,000 attendees and over 10 million online viewers. This edition integrated tie-ins with the World Cup, qualifying the top eight finishers for the 2025 event, while hybrid online qualifiers from the 2024 Capcom Pro Tour ensured diverse international representation. Key innovations during this period included the escalation to 48-player fields for broader competition, the introduction of a $1 million top prize starting with Capcom Cup X to attract elite talent, and refined hybrid qualification systems blending online and offline events for global accessibility. These changes, coupled with 's launch, propelled the Capcom Pro Tour's overall prize pool beyond $2 million by 2025, fostering sustained growth in viewership and participation.

References

  1. https://sf.esports.capcom.com/capcomcup/cc12/en/
  2. https://sf.esports.capcom.com/cpt/rules/
  3. https://www.capcom.co.jp/ir/english/news/html/e240226.html
  4. https://archive.capcomprotour.com/champions/
  5. https://sf.esports.capcom.com/capcomcup/cc11/en/
  6. https://sf.esports.capcom.com/cpt-news/c14795/
  7. https://esportsinsider.com/2025/03/kakeru-wins-capcom-cup-11-thanks-to-wife
  8. https://www.dexerto.com/street-fighter/capcom-cup-champion-kakeru-retires-2960573/
  9. https://www.shacknews.com/article/143398/capcom-cup-11-winner-kakeru
  10. https://liquipedia.net/fighters/Capcom_Cup/12
  11. https://sf.esports.capcom.com/cpt/
  12. https://www.capcom.co.jp/ir/english/feature/2017_esports.html
  13. https://archives.capcomprotour.com/capcom-cup-2013/
  14. https://www.capcom.co.jp/ir/english/data/pdf/annual/2020/annual_2020_01.pdf
  15. https://www.eventhubs.com/news/2013/dec/14/capcom-cup-2013-live-stream-and-results-featuring/
  16. https://archive.capcomprotour.com/champions/momochi-2014-capcom-cup-champion/
  17. https://sf.esports.capcom.com/cpt/about/
  18. https://liquipedia.net/fighters/Capcom_Cup
  19. https://www.digitaltrends.com/gaming/interview-street-fighter-6-uma/
  20. https://liquipedia.net/fighters/Capcom_Pro_Tour/2025
  21. https://www.eventhubs.com/news/2024/nov/11/capcom-cup-qualified-players/
  22. https://www.capcom.co.jp/ir/english/news/html/e250310.html
  23. https://news.capcomusa.com/lets/browse/capcom-cup-sfxt-trailer-and-qualifier-information
  24. https://www.espn.com/esports/story/_/id/18778338/2017-street-fighter-v-capcom-pro-tour-announced
  25. https://liquipedia.net/fighters/Capcom_Cup/2013/SSFIV:AE
  26. https://news.capcomusa.com/lets/browse/capcom-cup-event-rules-and-prizing
  27. https://www.neogaf.com/threads/capcom-cup-2016-fighting-game-tournament-dec-2-3-whens-mahvel.1320959/
  28. https://sf.esports.capcom.com/ccx/en/
  29. https://sf.esports.capcom.com/cpt-news/c15864/
  30. https://liquipedia.net/fighters/Capcom_Cup/11
  31. https://archive.capcomprotour.com/champions/sako-2013-capcom-cup-champion/
  32. https://archives.capcomprotour.com/capcom-cup-2014/
  33. https://liquipedia.net/fighters/Momochi
  34. https://liquipedia.net/fighters/Capcom_Cup/2015
  35. https://archive.capcomprotour.com/champions/kazunoko-2015-capcom-cup-champion/
  36. https://www.vg247.com/capcom-cup-2015-kazunoko-wins-all-the-results
  37. https://liquipedia.net/fighters/Capcom_Cup/2016
  38. https://archive.capcomprotour.com/capcom-cup-2016-results/
  39. https://teamliquid.com/news/2016/12/04/nuckledu-wins-capcom-cup-2016
  40. https://www.esportsearnings.com/tournaments/8326-capcom-cup-2014
  41. https://news.capcomusa.com/lets/browse/capcom-cup-2015-details
  42. https://www.esportsearnings.com/tournaments/20815-capcom-cup-2016
  43. https://liquipedia.net/fighters/Capcom_Pro_Tour/2017
  44. https://www.espn.com/esports/story/_/id/21735945/saul-leonardo-menard-mena-segundo-wins-capcom-cup-final-reigning-evo-champion-hajime-tokido-taniguchi
  45. https://archive.capcomprotour.com/champions/menard-2017-capcom-cup-champion/
  46. https://liquipedia.net/fighters/Capcom_Cup/2017
  47. https://liquipedia.net/fighters/Capcom_Cup/2018
  48. https://www.redbull.com/us-en/gachikun-street-fighter-v-capcom-cup-winner-interview-2018
  49. https://archive.capcomprotour.com/champions/gachikun-2018-capcom-cup-champion/
  50. https://www.dexerto.com/street-fighter-v/capcom-cup-2019-final-placements-top-16-results-1299804/
  51. https://www.shacknews.com/article/115484/idom-comes-from-behind-to-win-capcom-cup-2019
  52. https://archive.capcomprotour.com/champions/idom-2019-capcom-cup-champion/
  53. https://www.eventhubs.com/news/2019/dec/16/capcom-promises-address-production-issues-2020-season-amidst-complaints-about-capcom-cup/
  54. https://www.espn.com/esports/story/_/id/28801844/three-events-removed-capcom-pro-tour-amid-coronavirus-concerns
  55. https://www.eventhubs.com/news/2021/jan/15/capcom-cup-2020-cancelled/
  56. https://www.thegamer.com/capcom-cup-street-fighter-cancelled-covid-19-pandemic/
  57. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzQygnnOm1E
  58. https://archive.capcomprotour.com/capcom-pro-tour-2021-season-finals-recap/
  59. https://esports.gg/news/street-fighter-v/the-capcom-cup-online/
  60. https://blog.playstation.com/2021/08/03/street-fighter-v-summer-update-2021-past-present-and-future/
  61. https://liquipedia.net/fighters/Capcom_Cup/8
  62. https://archive.capcomprotour.com/capcom-cup-ix-results-banditsmenard-from-dominican-republic-wins-2nd-capcom-cup/?lang=en-us
  63. https://liquipedia.net/fighters/Capcom_Cup/9
  64. https://escharts.com/tournaments/sfv/capcom-cup-ix
  65. https://archive.capcomprotour.com/capcom-cup-ix/
  66. https://liquipedia.net/fighters/Capcom_Cup/10
  67. https://escharts.com/tournaments/sfv/capcom-cup-x
  68. https://www.eventhubs.com/news/2025/mar/10/capcom-pro-tour-prize-pool/
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