Esports Nations Cup

Esports Nations Cup
Tournament information
SportEsports
LocationRiyadh, Saudi Arabia
DatesNovember 2026–
AdministratorEsports World Cup Foundation
Tournament
format(s)
National teams; qualification via global rankings, regional qualifiers, wildcards and solidarity slots
HostSaudi Arabia
VenueRiyadh
ParticipantsNational teams from North America, South America, Europe, MENA, Africa, Asia, Southeast Asia & Oceania
Websiteesportsnationscup.com
Most recent tournament
2026 Esports Nations Cup

Esports Nations Cup (ENC) is an upcoming international multi-title esports tournament focused on representative national esports teams. The event is organised by the Riyadh-based Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF)[1], a non-profit organization, and is planned to be held every two years.[2] It was announced during the New Global Sport Conference in Riyadh in late August 2025, with the inaugural finals scheduled for November 2026 in Riyadh before rotating to other host cities.[3] The first edition is being co-developed with online chess platform Chess.com and video-game publishers Electronic Arts, Krafton, Moonton, SNK, Tencent and Ubisoft.[4]

History and announcement

The Esports Nations Cup was announced during the New Global Sports Conference, held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in August 2025, with the inaugural edition set for November 2026 in Riyadh.[5][6][7][8][9] Initial expectations stated that more than 1,500 players from over 100 nations would be taking part across roughly 15 titles.[10][11][12] It would be held on a biannual schedule under a rotating hosting model.[13]

Following the announcement of the Esports Nations Cup, the inaugural edition would later be announced to have a total of 16 titles. Mobile Legends: Bang Bang was the first title revealed for ENC on 25 January 2026, during the M7 World Championship in Jakarta, Indonesia.[14]

The Nations Cup follows the expansion of the EWCF’s flagship Esports World Cup,[15] as well as similar competitions held in the past that focused on nation-based esports competition, such as the Electronic Sports World Cup (ESWC) and World Cyber Games (WCG).

Format

According to the organisers, the ENC will feature national teams from seven defined regions—North America, South America, Europe, the MENA region, Africa, Asia and Southeast Asia & Oceania. These nations will be represented by partner organizations or individuals, which can include but are not limited to national esports and traditional sports organizations, individual esports clubs, non-governmental organizations and agencies.[16] Qualification is planned to use a multi-layered pathway combining global rankings, regional qualifiers, wildcards and solidarity placements. The EWCF says that players will receive guaranteed prize money with equal placement rewards across games. The event will run biennially, debuting in Riyadh in November 2026 before moving to a rotating host model. The inaugural edition is being co-developed with Electronic Arts, Krafton, Moonton, SNK, Tencent and Ubisoft, alongside the online chess platform Chess.com.[17]

16 games are set to be featured in the 2026 edition of the event. As of 25 February 2026, all but one game has been revealed as part of the inaugural lineup.

Game/Series 2026
Apex Legends Y
Chess Y
Counter-Strike 2 Y
Dota 2 Y
EA Sports FC Y
Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves Y
Honor of Kings Y
League of Legends Y
Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Y
PUBG: Battlegrounds Y
PUBG Mobile Y
Rocket League Y
Rainbow Six Siege Y
Trackmania Y
Valorant Y
Total games 16

Reception

An analysis by Mike Stubbs argued that a nation-versus-nation format could "actually make national competition work" in esports if execution and game selection align with fan interest.[18] Sheep Esports welcomed the concept but noted that key details—such as the final list of games, qualification specifics and national team governance—had not yet been fully disclosed at launch.[19]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Esports World Cup Foundation Announces Esports Nations Cup". 23 August 2025. EWC. Retrieved 25 August 2025.
  2. ^ "Esports Nations Cup". esportsnationscup.com. Esports World Cup Foundation. Retrieved 26 August 2025.
  3. ^ "Esports World Cup Foundation Launches First-of-Its-Kind Esports Nations Cup". Saudi Press Agency. 23 August 2025. Retrieved 26 August 2025.
  4. ^ "Esports World Cup Foundation announces new Nations Cup tournament". Arab News. 23 August 2025. Retrieved 26 August 2025.
  5. ^ "Esports World Cup Foundation Announces Esports Nations Cup 2026". Deadline. 23 August 2025. Retrieved 26 August 2025.
  6. ^ "Inaugural Esports Nations Cup set for November 2026". SportsTravel. 25 August 2025. Retrieved 26 August 2025.
  7. ^ "Esports World Cup Foundation announces Esports Nations Cup". TNT Sports. 25 August 2025. Retrieved 26 August 2025.
  8. ^ "Esports Nations Cup to debut in Riyadh". Hotspawn. 25 August 2025. Retrieved 26 August 2025.
  9. ^ "Saudi Arabia to host inaugural Esports Nations Cup in 2026". Saudi Gazette. 23 August 2025. Retrieved 26 August 2025.
  10. ^ "Saudi Arabia to host first Esports Nations Cup". The National. 25 August 2025. Retrieved 26 August 2025.
  11. ^ "Esports World Cup Foundation launches first-ever Esports Nations Cup". Arabian Business. 25 August 2025. Retrieved 26 August 2025.
  12. ^ "Esports World Cup Foundation Announces Global Competition". Men's Journal. 25 August 2025. Retrieved 26 August 2025.
  13. ^ "Esports World Cup Foundation Launches Esports Nations Cup, Debuting in 2026". Programming Insider. 25 August 2025. Retrieved 26 August 2025.
  14. ^ Rossel, John Dave T. (25 January 2026). "Mobile Legends: Bang Bang confirmed as first game for Esports Nations Cup 2026". esports.gg. Retrieved 26 January 2026.
  15. ^ "Esports World Cup Foundation Announces Its First Global National Team Tournament". IGN. Retrieved 25 August 2025.
  16. ^ "Esports World Cup Foundation Introduces National Team Representation Framework for the Esports Nations Cup 2026". Esports Nations Cup (official press release). Esports World Cup Foundation. 7 January 2026. Retrieved 26 January 2026.
  17. ^ "Esports World Cup Foundation announces Esports Nations Cup". Esports Nations Cup (official press release). Esports World Cup Foundation. 24 August 2025. Retrieved 26 August 2025.
  18. ^ Stubbs, Mike (23 August 2025). "The Esports Nations Cup Might Actually Make National Competition Work". Forbes. Retrieved 26 August 2025.
  19. ^ "EWCF launches Esports Nations Cup in Saudi Arabia for 2026, but key questions remain". Sheep Esports. 23 August 2025. Retrieved 26 August 2025.

Official website

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