The Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) has officially announced the Esports Nations Cup (ENC), the first recurring global esports tournament of its scale dedicated to national team competition. Launching in November 2026 in Riyadh, the ENC will bring together the world’s top esports players to compete not just for their clubs, but for the honor of representing their countries.
A First for Global Esports
The ENC introduces national pride as a driving force in competitive gaming, offering fans the chance to rally behind their country’s colors on the global stage.
“Nation versus nation competition is the ultimate expression of sport,” said Ralf Reichert, CEO of the Esports World Cup Foundation. “The ENC makes this a reality for esports, giving every fan a flag to rally behind and every player the pride of representing their country. It’s a stage to create heroes, inspire the next generation, and accelerate the growth of esports worldwide.”
Backed by Industry Giants
The inaugural ENC is being co-developed in collaboration with major publishers including Electronic Arts, Krafton, Tencent, and Ubisoft. Each publisher will help shape national team rankings, qualification pathways, and formats for their respective titles, ensuring that the ENC reflects both the competitive integrity and the culture of each game.
How the Esports Nations Cup Works
The ENC will feature national teams from across North America, South America, Europe, MENA, Africa, Asia, and SEA & Oceania. Competitions will include both team-based and solo formats, creating opportunities for players across different genres and playstyles.
A multi-layered qualification system will balance inclusivity and competitiveness, using global rankings, regional qualifiers, and Wildcard entries — including solidarity placements — to ensure broad representation across nations.
Importantly, all participating players will receive guaranteed prize money, with standardized placement rewards across all games to ensure fairness.
A Recurring Global Tournament
The ENC will be held every two years, giving players, teams, and federations a dependable competitive structure while offering publishers, clubs, and partners confidence to build long-term national esports programs.
The format echoes the Esports World Cup’s mission of uniting clubs on a global stage but takes it further by weaving national identity into the fabric of competition. After its 2026 debut in Riyadh, the ENC will adopt a rotating host model, bringing esports’ newest international showdown to fans worldwide.
A New Chapter for Esports
With esports already one of the most-watched forms of entertainment globally, the ENC sets the stage for the next evolution: national representation in digital competition. Backed by some of the industry’s biggest publishers, the event promises to inspire new heroes, expand national esports ecosystems, and bring global fans closer to their favorite players and teams.
More information about the Esports Nations Cup will be released in the coming weeks. To stay up to date, visit esportsnationscup.com, and follow ENC on X, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, and follow the Esports World Cup Foundation on LinkedIn.
