Seven Teams, Four States, Plenty of New England Pride
New England gave its barbecue fans plenty to cheer about at the 2026 American Royal World Series of Barbecue Invitational. Seven teams representing Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire took on a field of 158, with Fire at the End of the Day leading the regional charge through a ninth-place overall finish and a perfect brisket score.
Joining that effort were Humphrey’s BBQ, ELJEFE SMOKE, Paddy McQ’s, Smokin’ Hoggz BBQ, Titans of BBQ, and Sticks & Stones BBQ—a group that brought familiar names from the New England competition circuit onto one of barbecue’s biggest stages. Their home bases stretch from Danielson, Connecticut, to West Newfield, Maine, with Massachusetts and New Hampshire firmly in the mix. For the cooks, families, and fellow competitors following from home, this was a weekend worth paying attention to. The Grand Am
An Invitation Worth Earning
The significance of competing in the Invitational begins before anyone lights a smoker. The American Royal’s published criteria connect entry to a qualifying Grand Championship, making a place in this field an achievement in its own right. For 2026, the qualifying period ran from July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2026. These teams arrived with winning credentials and then faced the challenge of delivering chicken, pork ribs, pork, and brisket against other accomplished competitors.
American Royal: The final standings show just how demanding that company was: B’s Que captured the championship with 709.6916, edging Munny’s Stove’s 709.6800 by only 0.0116 points. Porky Butts BBQ followed in third with 709.1432. In a contest decided by such narrow margins, every category carried weight.
Fire at the End of the Day Delivers a Perfect Brisket
Connecticut’s Fire at the End of the Day, also known as FATED BBQ, delivered New England’s standout overall performance, finishing ninth with 703.9428 points. The centerpiece was a perfect 180.0000 in brisket, which earned fifth place in the official category standings.
That distinction matters: several teams reached 180, and the final rankings placed FATED fifth among them. The team also finished 24th in chicken with 176.5600, adding to a four-category performance strong enough to break into the overall top ten.
Only 16 teams in the entire field topped 700 points. FATED was one of them, giving Connecticut—and the wider New England barbecue community—a result to celebrate. A perfect brisket and a top-ten Invitational finish make a pretty compelling answer to anyone still wondering whether serious competition barbecue comes out of New England.
Humphrey’s and ELJEFE Add to the Regional Showing
Maine’s Humphrey’s BBQ put together another notable New England performance, finishing 33rd overall with 695.3484 points, comfortably inside the top quarter of the field. Pork was its strongest category by placement, earning 20th with 176.5600, while ribs finished 33rd with 175.4172. Those results deserve attention in a contest packed with proven winners.
New Hampshire’s ELJEFE SMOKE finished 86th overall with 684.4684, with its best category placement coming in chicken: 36th with 175.4172. The team also placed 69th in brisket with 171.9772.
Together, these performances added substance to New England’s presence beyond the top-ten headline. They also illustrated how the same contest can produce different bright spots for different teams, with each category offering its own opportunity to make a mark.
Every Team Deserves Its Share of the Applause
Massachusetts was represented by Paddy McQ’s, which finished 115th with 677.0284, and Smokin’ Hoggz BBQ, which followed in 116th with 676.4460. Connecticut’s Titans of BBQ finished 132nd with 671.3144, including a top-50 chicken result, while Sticks & Stones BBQ placed 148th with 660.3772.
Those overall finishes belong in the story alongside the higher placements, because celebrating participation means recognizing the entire group that earned its opportunity and took on the challenge. Competition barbecue asks for preparation, expense, patience, and the willingness to put your cooking in front of judges when the field is this strong.
These seven teams answered that call. FATED supplied the biggest headline, Humphrey’s added a strong overall finish, and every team helped put New England barbecue in the national conversation. To all seven: thank you for giving the folks back home something to root for.
All scores, category placements, and the field count are drawn from the supplied KCBS Invitational results.
