The Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) has announced the Esports Nations Cup (ENC), a biennial tournament where players will represent national teams on a global stage. The event, co-developed with Electronic Arts, Krafton, Tencent and Ubisoft, will debut in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in November 2026 before adopting a rotating host model.
Billed as the first recurring national team competition in esports at this scale, the ENC is designed to introduce national identity into the industry’s global structure. “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,” stated the EWCF CEO Ralf Reichert.
The publishers involved will shape national ranking systems, qualification pathways and event formats for their titles. National teams from every major region will qualify through a combination of global rankings, regional tournaments and wildcard entries.
EWCF confirmed that all players will receive guaranteed prize money, with equal placement rewards across all games.
The biennial cycle and rotating host model are intended to provide stability for teams and organisers, while opening new long-term opportunities for publishers, clubs and local markets.
The announcement was made at the New Global Sport Conference (NGSC) in Riyadh, attended by over 1,500 industry leaders. The ENC builds on the scale of the Esports World Cup, which has already established Saudi Arabia as a central force in international esports, and signals the country’s intent to replicate a similar global framework for national teams. However, key details — including which titles will be featured, how future host cities will be selected, and the role of local bodies in the process — are still to be revealed.
Saudi Arabia is also set to host the Olympic Esports Games in 2027 in partnership with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which will add yet another nations competition to the esports schedule.
