North American esports organisation Cloud9 is actively looking to field a Halo roster for DreamHack Birmingham, signalling a short-term return to the esport for the opening event of the 2026 season.

The update was shared by Cloud9 Halo coach Trevor ‘SenscR’ Frees, who confirmed the organisation is seeking an established team to compete at the UK-based event running from March 27 to 29.

Cloud9 Eyes DreamHack Birmingham

On January 28, SenscR advised interested teams to get in touch ahead of the Halo competitions at DreamHack Birmingham. The event forms part of the wider DreamHack festival in the United Kingdom and will host several Halo tournaments as part of the 2026 season.

We’re looking to field a team for this upcoming event under @Cloud9.

If you’re interested in representing one of the world’s top esports organizations in Birmingham, let’s connect. https://t.co/RPeDIIYDIE

— sensor (@SenscRs) January 28, 2026

While Cloud9 does not currently have a signed Halo roster, the organisation is no stranger to the scene. It has competed in Halo esports since 2014 and most recently placed top six at the 2025 Halo World Championship, the final Halo Championship Series event played on Halo Infinite.

A Long History In Halo Esports

Across its 12-year involvement in Halo, Cloud9 has recorded multiple deep tournament runs. In 2022, the organisation secured three second-place finishes at the Kansas City and Orlando Majors before ending the season as runners-up to OpTic Gaming at the Halo World Championship.

Despite that history, Cloud9 was among several organisations to release its Halo roster in October 2025 following the departure of Halo Infinite from the Halo Championship Series. The move marked a wider reset for the esport, with teams reassessing their long-term involvement.

How Halo Esports Continues In 2026

Halo esports is continuing in 2026 through a partnership with ESL FACEIT Group. As part of that agreement, DreamHack Birmingham will host multiple Halo tournaments, including the main Halo Infinite 4v4 event.

Qualification begins in February, with teams from around the world competing across two online Open Series and a final online qualifier. Points earned during the Open Series determine who advances, with the qualifier setting the top four seeds for the DreamHack Birmingham Halo Open. The 4v4 LAN event will feature a $4,000 prize pool.

Registrations for the Halo events open on February 5, giving prospective teams a narrow window to prepare for the Birmingham stop.

Prize Pools And Event Details

DreamHack has confirmed a combined $100,000 prize pool for Halo events at Birmingham, with $86,000 allocated to the Halo Infinite 4v4 tournament. The top 10 teams from a 32-team field will earn prize money, while the eventual champion will take home $35,000.

Cloud9’s interest in Birmingham comes despite being named one of four partnered teams for the 2026 season, alongside Shopify Rebellion, Spacestation Gaming, and FaZe Clan. Whether this DreamHack appearance becomes a one-off or the start of a longer return remains unclear.

DreamHack Birmingham’s Wider Esports Line-Up

Beyond Halo, DreamHack Birmingham will host several major esports competitions at the NEC Arena. The festival includes ESL One Dota 2, where 16 teams will compete for a $1 million prize pool.

The city will also stage Call of Duty League Major II, featuring a revised format with a round-robin group stage, a four-team play-in, and an eight-team double-elimination playoff. In addition, Birmingham will be a stop on the Call of Duty Warzone Resurgence Series, with the top four teams qualifying for the Esports World Cup later in the year.

For Cloud9, DreamHack Birmingham offers a low-commitment path back into Halo competition, and a chance to test the waters as the esport reshapes itself in 2026.

The post Cloud9 Looking For Halo Team Ahead Of DreamHack Birmingham appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Shopify Rebellion have done it again. The North American powerhouse secured back-to-back Halo Championship Series (HCS) titles after dominating the $250,000 HCS Charlotte Major, cementing their status as one of the most consistent Halo Infinite rosters in the world.

The team made up of Cykul, Frosty, Royal2, ItzTheLastShot, and NickBestman took down FaZe Clan 4–1 in the Grand Final to claim the final Major trophy of the Halo Infinite competitive cycle. The victory follows their HCS Salt Lake City 2025 triumph earlier this year, marking an incredible double for Shopify’s Halo division.

BACK-2-BACK 🏆🏆@ShopifyRebels are your $250K #HCSCharlotte25 Major CHAMPIONS!

🟢 @Cykul_
🔵 @FrostyBB
🟢 @Royal2
🔵 @ItzTheLastShot
🟢 @NickBestman #ArmTheRebels pic.twitter.com/M3JmRWN46I

— Halo Esports (@HCS) October 5, 2025

A Run of Dominance

Shopify Rebellion’s campaign in Charlotte began with a statement. The squad stormed through Group A, winning all three matches and dropping just a single map. Their confidence carried into the knockout stage, where they faced a high-stakes clash against OpTic Gaming, one of Halo’s most decorated organisations.

After splitting the first two maps, Shopify turned up the heat, taking the next two to secure a 3–1 victory. From there, they never looked back. A clean 3–0 sweep against Spacestation Gaming in the semi-finals was followed by another dominant 3–0 over FaZe Clan in the upper bracket final, booking their spot in the Grand Final with authority.

FaZe’s Fight Falls Short

FaZe Clan, eager for revenge, managed to outlast a surging OpTic Gaming in a tense lower bracket final that went all the way to a fifth map. But by the time they reached the Grand Final, Shopify Rebellion were already in full control.

The Rebels took the first three maps with clinical precision, showcasing their coordination and mechanical brilliance. FaZe managed to pull one back on Aquarius Assault, but Shopify sealed the deal with a tight 50–45 win on Solitude Slayer, bringing home another championship trophy and $100,000 in prize money.

Eyes on the Halo World Championship

With the Charlotte title secured, Shopify Rebellion have also locked in the top seed heading into the Halo World Championship 2025, which takes place in Seattle from October 24 to 26.

Sixteen of the best teams from around the world will battle it out for a share of the $1 million prize pool and the chance to close out the Halo Infinite era as world champions. If Shopify’s current form is any indication, they’ll enter Seattle as the team to beat.

The post Shopify Rebellion Crowned Back-to-Back Halo Champions at HCS Charlotte Major appeared first on Shane the Gamer.