Games Workshop Expands Warhammer Open UK Stops, Summer Weekends, Golden Ticket Qualifiers

Games Workshop’s events team updated the Warhammer Open calendar on 20 February 2026 and confirmed the series will come to the UK for the first time at UK Games Expo, NEC Birmingham, 29–31 May 2026. "We’re bringing the Warhammer Open Series to the UK this year for the first time – and what a place to start," the Warhammer Community announcement said, adding that attendees "will get entry into the wider convention too" as part of a three-day celebration.

The official update also lists Edmonton, Canada for 19–21 June 2026 and notes "the return of venerable Warhammer Opens in Tacoma, Dallas, and Edmonton." Those U.S. and Canadian stops join the UK slot as the company reasserts a multi-stop Open calendar through the summer, with organizers promising Grand Tournaments and a schedule that mixes competitive and casual play.

Independent coverage frames the calendar slightly differently. Spikey Bits’ February 13, 2026 calendar guide lists a European Warhammer Open on April 24, 2026 and places the World Championships of Warhammer at Fira de Barcelona running December 3–6, 2026, pitched as a larger venue with more qualification spots. Warhammer Community’s 20 February update, as quoted, lists Birmingham 29–31 May and Edmonton 19–21 June; the provided excerpt does not include the April 24 entry or explicit mention of Golden Ticket qualifiers.

The Open expansion arrives as Games Workshop reports strong trading and prepares production growth. The Guardian cited company figures showing sales up 20.9% to £299.5m in the six months to 1 December and profits "soared by a third to £127m." The same coverage says Games Workshop signed a rights deal with Amazon to adapt Warhammer 40,000 for film and television "last month," and that licensing income rose around launches such as Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 and Speed Freeks. CEO Kevin Rountree said, "It’s fair to say our results were helped by some of the excitement around media and licensing product launches. I’m told by my retail team that we had more people coming into our Warhammer stores in the period. This gave our ambassadors a great opportunity to pass on their love for the Warhammer hobby. They clearly didn’t disappoint." Analyst Adam Vettese of eToro added, "Games Workshop’s Warhammer series seems to be the golden goose that keeps laying eggs after reporting their best half‑year performance to date. Warhammer is more popular than ever and especially now with multiple revenue streams to exploit its popularity, making hay while the sun shines seems to be what the firm is doing."

Warhammer Community describes event programming that spans systems and play styles: "There’s Grand Tournaments at each Open, and the format is custom designed to give both casual and top tier players an equally awesome experience against great opponents." The announcement lists Warhammer 40,000, Warhammer Age of Sigmar, Kill Team, and Warhammer Underworlds among the games, and warns players they are "likely to find narrative events, hobby challenges, painting workshops, and the travelling Warhammer store" at most stops.

Support for local organizers will include retail-facing products announced earlier. ICv2 noted Games Workshop’s Organized Play Packs, headed to retail in 2025, are built to support events up to 32 players and include 16 measuring gauges, punchboard token sheets for objectives, certificates, a poster, and a glass Store Champion trophy, with packs available in seven languages.

Coverage from Goonhammer of recent Adepticon reveals underlines the product cadence behind the events, with previews heavy on Warhammer 40k, a new Kill Team release, and Old World armies. With confirmed UK and Canadian Opens, and returns to Tacoma and Dallas, ticketing and any Golden Ticket qualifier mechanics will be the next details for players to watch as the calendar moves into spring and summer 2026.