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2 - 29 November 2026

Esports Nations Cup 2026

The world's best players compete for the honor of representing their country.

About Esports Nations Cup (ENC)

The Esports Nations Cup (ENC) is the world's first global, recurring, multi-title country vs country esports competition — a biennial esports event where the world's best players compete not only for glory with their clubs, but for the honor of representing their national esports team.

Launching as the EWCF esports championship in Riyadh in November 2026 as part of a four-week festival, the ENC 2026 Riyadh features 16 elite game titles. Qualification spans seven regions around the world in a balanced mix of direct invites, open online qualifiers, and solidarity slots, ensuring fairness and elite-level competition. These top-tier games are selected in close collaboration with industry-leading publishers including Riot Games, Valve, Electronic Arts, KRAFTON, Tencent, Ubisoft, Capcom, Chess.com, MOONTON Games, SNK, Psyonix, and Respawn Entertainment.

The 16 confirmed titles are: Dota 2, Rocket League, Chess, PUBG Mobile, VALORANT, Counter-Strike 2, PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS, FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves, EA SPORTS FC 25, Street Fighter 6, Rainbow Six Siege, Trackmania, League of Legends, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, Honor of Kings, and Apex Legends.

Confirmed Games

Dota 2 Logo
Rocket League Logo
Chess Logo
PUBG Mobile Logo
VALORANT Logo
Counter-Strike 2 Logo
PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS Logo
FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves Logo
EA SPORTS FC 25 Logo
Street Fighter 6 Logo
Rainbow Six Siege Logo
Trackmania Logo
League of Legends Logo
Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Logo
Honor of Kings Logo
Apex Legends Logo

ENC Awards Official Partner Status Across 100+ Nations

The Road to the Esports Nations Cup (ENC) 2026 officially begins its next chapter. Following the January application period and an extensive review process, we are excited to announce this year's National Team Partners (NTPs) and National Team Managers (NTMs).

With over 630 applications from more than 152 countries & territoriesacross the globe, the message is clear: the world is ready to compete. This isn't just a tournament; it's a global movement fueled by the dream of representing your home on the ultimate stage.

$45M
Prize Pool
16
Total Games
152+
Nations
730+
NTP Partners
630+
Applications

Road to ENC 2026

NTP & NTM Application Window

Global
152 Countries

National Team Partners Announcement

Global
100+ Nations

Coach Nomination Deadline

Global
730+ Coaches

National Roster Submission

Global
Roster Lock

Regional Online Qualifiers

7 Regions
Multiple Slots

Esports Nations Cup Finals

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
16 Titles

Tournament Schedule

FAQ — Esports Nations Cup

The Esports Nations Cup (ENC) is the world's first global, recurring, multi-title national esports competition — a biennial event where the world's best players compete not only for glory with their clubs, but for the honor of representing their countries.

ENC 2026 will be held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from November 2 to November 29, 2026, as part of a four-week esports festival.

The ENC is organized and hosted by the Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) — the same body behind the Esports World Cup. Unlike the EWC's club-based competition, the ENC is a distinct national esports championship where players represent their countries rather than their teams.

A total of 16 official game titles have been confirmed, including VALORANT, Counter-Strike 2, Dota 2, League of Legends, PUBG Mobile, Mobile Legends, Honor of Kings, Street Fighter 6, Chess, and more.

Confirmed publisher partners include Electronic Arts, Tencent (PUBG Mobile, Honor of Kings, Mobile Legends via MOONTON), KRAFTON, Ubisoft, Riot Games, Valve, Capcom, Chess.com, SNK, Psyonix, and Respawn Entertainment — covering all 16 confirmed titles.

Qualification spans seven regions via a balanced mix of direct invites, open online qualifiers, and solidarity slots. Each game has its own independent qualifying structure. National Team Partners (NTPs) oversee roster selection in each country.

For 5v5 games: max 3 from the same org, up to 2 substitutes. For 4v4: max 2 from same org, up to 2 subs. For 3v3: max 2 from same org, up to 1 sub. Coaches do not have country restrictions — any nationality can coach for any nation.

NTPs are mandated by the EWCF to represent their nation. They act as the National Organizing Body, responsible for complete national representation including nominating a National Team Manager. Over 630 applications were received from 152+ countries.

Yes. India's National Team Partners include NODWIN Gaming, S8UL Esports, GodLike, Orangutan, Revenant XSpark, and ChessBase India — covering roster selections across multiple titles.

Yes. While ENC 2026 debuts in Riyadh, future editions will rotate to host cities worldwide to combine global prestige with lasting local impact. ENC is a biennial event (every two years).

The $45M prize pool is split into three main categories: $20M for direct player and coach payouts, $5M for club incentives, and a $20M development fund for national programmes.

The Club Incentive is a $5M fund where clubs receive a 40% bonus based on their players' performance. For example, if a player wins $50,000, their club receives an additional $20,000 as an incentive.

The ENC Development Fund commits at least $20M annually — beginning with ENC 2026 — to support National Team Partners (NTPs) with travel, logistics, national bootcamps, and local infrastructure development.

National Team Setup

Built through local partnerships in every country, the ENC ecosystem supports each representative's success and strengthens the local esports scene. National Team Partners (NTPs) are already being selected across 100+ nations.

Learn More