Some Warhammer champions said no to their Golden Tickets over Trump’s politics and principles, perhaps leading GW to move the World Championships (WCW) out of the US for 2026.
Winning a Golden Ticket to the Warhammer World Championships is the dream of free flight, global bragging rights, and a shot at Age of Sigmar glory. But in 2025, Warhammer players said no thanks. Their reason? The host country’s politics, and more to the point, the man at the top: Donald Trump.
Perhaps that is why Games Workshop has moved its year-end center-stage Warhammer event to Europe for 2026, a move that’s turning heads across hobby tables and Reddit threads alike.
GW said, “Warhammer is for everyone,” and players are still holding them to it. Here is why.
World Championships of Warhammer Heads to Barcelona in 2026
Updated on February, 20th, 2026, by Rob Baer with the latest information and links.
GW is officially moving the World Championships of Warhammer from Atlanta to Barcelona, Spain. The event is set to run December 3-6 at Fira de Barcelona. It offers a bigger venue, more qualifiers, more countries, and a louder “nation vs nation” vibe, which basically turns the whole thing into the Warhammer Olympics, but with more plastic and worse sleep.
The lineup is the usual end-boss gauntlet of 40k, Age of Sigmar, Kill Team, and Underworlds, and yes, the tournament packet is still English even with the location swap.
But after last year’s exodus of players from the event, it makes you wonder about the level of behind-the-scenes concern over potential negative PR by Games Workshop after the Golden Ticket player boycott in 2025.
While it will never be confirmed by anyone, we think this is at the very least a factor in the relocation of the WCW event from the States.
More Players Say “No Thanks” To Warhammer World Championships
Quentin Dubus isn’t the only one folding his arms at the departure gate. More players are walking away from their World Championship Golden Tickets, and they didn’t do it quietly.
Take Konstantinos Kellis, for example. He crushed it at Lord of the Mounds IX in Sweden, a tough crowd, smart metas, lots of top-tier Age of Sigmar minds around the table. He earned that win. And yet? No Worlds for him.
“I felt greatly honoured to receive the ticket,” he said in a recent interview, but “the reasons are pretty clear, and they get clearer every day, sadly.”
Then there’s Emma Hallinan, who’s been lighting up the Kill Team scene in Australia. She won one of the biggest Kill Team tournaments in the Southern Hemisphere, the Good Times Rolled Grand Major. Not only that, but she also qualified for another major tournament in 2024.
That’s back-to-back dominance. But when it came time to claim her ticket? She passed. “Travelling to the US would be dangerous for me,” she said, referencing her identity as a trans woman.
This isn’t posturing. It’s people weighing their safety, values, and visibility, and deciding the trip just isn’t worth the personal cost. That should cause people to think. When top players bow out despite months of prep, travel, and effort, it suggests something bigger is at play than just paint jobs and podiums.
The New Warhammer Line in the Sand
Three days after clinching second place at the Custom Wargame Spring Tournament near Brussels (which, by the way, is no small feat), Dubus announced on social media that he’d be turning down his ticket. Not because he’s busy, not because he’s short on travel funds — but as a protest. His reason? The host country. Or, more precisely, its leadership and policies.
In his post titled “Warhammer Is for Everyone: Why I Won’t Participate in the Warhammer World Championships,” he laid it all out. And no, it wasn’t a dramatic rage-quit. It was measured, clear, and grounded in his principles.
Dubus believes that traveling to a country where leadership is, in his words, enacting harmful policies against trans people, marginalized communities, and the environment doesn’t align with the spirit of inclusivity that Games Workshop claims to champion.
Seeing that they were the ones who originally posted the “Warhammer is for everyone” article.
When Gaming Meet Principles
Cue the hobby community raising eyebrows. Some nodding in agreement. Others are scratching their heads. This is Warhammer, after all — toy soldiers, dice rolls, painting marathons. It’s supposed to be a break from politics, right?
Well… not quite.
The truth is, Warhammer has always reflected more than plastic and pigment. It’s about identity, community, and shared narratives. And when those narratives bump up against the real world, people take notice. Champions like Quentin aren’t saying “don’t play the game.” They are saying “the stage matters.”
Beyond the WCW’s The Bigger Conversation
Here’s where this becomes more than one player’s stance. It opens the door for discussion within the community. What do we expect from companies like Games Workshop? Does the place where they host events send a message? And are those messages lining up with their own marketing?
These players made their call. And whether you’re cheering them on or silently disagreeing, it’s clear they didn’t do it for applause.
Final Thoughts from Us: Warhammer World Championships It’s Still Your Move
At the end of the day, everyone has the right to choose to attend the Warhammer World Championships if they win an invite. Some chase the dream across borders. Others ask whether the dream aligns with their values.
Neither approach makes you less of a Warhammer player, but one just sparked a conversation the community may not be able to ignore.
Guide to Warhammer Tournaments
‘trans womn’, does not exist. Thay are men. stop the delusions. Its called gender dysphoria and its a mental issue. Dont even try tp push it down the throat of people
nothing gained nothing lost… give them to the players that want to go. if they decline them give them to next player until someone that wants to go takes it. dont give these issue clout. it only reinforces the issues and give it meaning when there is none. Warhammer XYZ is a hobby and only should be treated that way people play these games to allow themselves just a bit of time to remove themselves from the everyday pressures and saying that game is causing these issues or there will be issues than that is just a crazy thought. if GW cant make it a save gaming environment for all people than that is the real issue here not a political game of real life we play with toy soldiers and monsters. if people love the hobby they would make time to be at an event that is already paid for by GW. getting off my soap box
People need to quit watching the news. Nobody cares about your politics and whatever you think about yourself….until you try to force it down their throat.
America is still safer than most of the rest of the world where immigration and violence related to it is going mostly unchecked….something more dangerous than the imagined beliefs of those who think they’re the most constantly in danger in their minds.
I’m sorry, Rob, that this is silly. Well not so silly but sad. I get it. People have the right to protest what they don’t like. But that is what makes this country great. You have a right to your opinion, and if you choose not to go to a tournament held in a country just because of the president. Then you have that right to do so. I can respect that in a person’s belief. It is sad that these people will be missing out on such a grand tournament. As for the part about someone feeling that it was too dangerous for being a transgender. Look at the world at large. Go to a place like the middle east..you want to talk about dangerous. They would behead a person there if they wanted to and no one would bat an eye. I am not belittling their feelings but we have to look at these things with a perspective. The US would never do that. It’s very interesting on how people perceive the US and what’s promoted by the news in those other countries. I hope that one day the high emotions or those quick to emotions would just take a moment. Again, these people have worked so hard to gain such a great reward it is just heartbreaking that they choose not to proceed with their rewards and see what other competitors have to offer. To be the best, you should go up against the best. I normally don’t like to respond to these sorts of things but lately I feel that something has to be said. Gamesworkshop puts out really good games….expensive but good. Tournaments are a place to have fun and build the community and test yourself. It’s like the dinner table. You don’t talk about people’s religion or politics at the table….well…gaming is the same way. We as gamers enjoy gaming and have fun. This is our escape from the reality that is the world and enjoy people who love to game as much as yourself. Whether they’re noobies or seasoned…we’re all here to have fun and enjoy.
Love how everyone here is just ignoring that German visitor that got detained and put in solitary confinement for the “crime” of trying to visit her friend for a week or two and then leave. She already had her plane ticket back. And gods forbid you don’t look white enough. on top of that, seeing all the bathroom bans and bills being introduced specifically to target trans people, no wonder she doesn’t want to come here. “Algorithmic bubble” my ass, yall need to get out of your own safe spaces and talk to people
The common denomination in all cases of detentions is previous misbehavior: failure to comply with Rule of Law.
The only time you need worry is if you try to go over the Mexican Border with tattoo equipment – without proper work permits.
Don’t try to enter of you have a history of getting in trouble with American Law Enforcement, do drugs, and fail to appear for Court Appointments.
Fearing because you are transgender is laughable and a Straw Man. The game industry is full of transgender individuals and they are thriving. Their game books are chock full of Slaaneshi delights and no one is throwing them off roofs.
However many transgender individuals are committing acts of violence against others. Just ask Justin Thomas Nelson, oops I mean Lucy Grace Nelson.
Straw men rhetoric is destroyed swiftly with evidence.
If you are fearful of entering the United States then you have misbehaving on the mind.
It’s best you stay home.
No one will remember these protestors. They are cowards that cannot leave their ‘Safe Space’ to face fake dangers fabricated by propagandists.
The tickets will go to tacticians deserving of the opportunity.