The Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF), at the New Global Sport Conference in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, announced the Esports Nations Cup (ENC). The inaugural tournament is scheduled to take place in Riyadh in November 2026, before transitioning to a rotating host model.
In a release, the EWCF stated that the ENC “introduces national pride to the global esports stage,” highlighting the recurring format and noting that it will be the first event of its kind at this scale.
From July 8 to August 24, the Esports World Cup mega-event entertained fans across the globe, as competitors duked it out for their share of the mind-numbing $70,450,000 prize pool. The EWCF made the announcement on the final day of CS2 competition, where The MongolZ swept Aurora.
The inaugural Esports Nations Cup will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Image Credit: Esports World Cup Foundation
The Esports World Cup Foundation CEO, Ralf Reichert, shared his excitement for the undertaking:
“Nation versus nation competition is the ultimate expression of sport. 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, together with our partners and stakeholders, build the national ecosystems that will accelerate the growth of esports worldwide.”
The EWCF further explained how the Esports World Cup unites the best clubs, and in turn, the ENC “unlocks a new frontier,” boasting regional representation and national identity.
ENC 2026 details: regions, qualifiers, and prizes
The ENC won’t take place each year. It is a bi-annual event, so after the first one concludes in 2026, the next of its kind will take place in 2028, followed by 2030, and so forth.
It’s not just about glory, it’s about the national pride.
The rise of a new rivalry.
Esports Nations Cup
Riyadh, November 2026 pic.twitter.com/5tKg4JhltA— Esports Nations Cup (@ENC_EN) August 23, 2025
Many details are still under wraps, including which specific esports titles will be featured. We do know that the inaugural ENC is being co-developed by Krafton, Ubisoft, Tencent, and EA Sports.
These partners will “help shape their game’s national ranking systems, qualification pathways, and event formats, ensuring the ENC resonates with their fans and meets the highest standards of competition.”
In the initial announcement, all major regions were mentioned, indicating that the ENC is genuinely a global competition:
- Europe
- North America
- South America
- MENA
- Africa
- SEA
- Oceania
- Asia
The national squads will compete in both solo-player and team-based formats in selected esports titles. EWCF explained the qualification model as multi-layered to strike a balance between inclusivity and competitiveness.
The process includes a combination of regional qualifiers, global rankings, and wildcard entries.
Regarding the prize pool, we do not have specific details to share at this time. However, one notable update is that the EWCF has confirmed that all players will receive guaranteed prize money and that there will be equal placement rewards across all games to ensure fairness.