The Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) has officially added League of Legends to the lineup for the inaugural Esports Nations Cup (ENC) 2026. The tournament, scheduled for 21–29 November 2026, will feature 32 national teams competing in a multi-stage format for international honours. This addition marks the 14th title revealed for the event, leaving only two slots remaining in the 16-game roster.

The inclusion of League of Legends was widely anticipated by the industry following last week’s announcement of VALORANT, another Riot Games property. Reports from Sheep Esports had previously linked the title to the ENC circuit. The tournament serves as a pivot from the club-based Esports World Cup (EWC) to a format focused purely on national representation.

Global Esports Industry Week (GEIW) will return in 2026 with a bigger and bolder edition, taking place across 18–21 June in Cologne, Germany, alongside IEM Cologne. The schedule and details about ticket sales are available in this link.

The competition structure for League of Legends is divided into three distinct phases: Play-ins (21–23 November), in which 24 teams split into four groups of six will compete in a double round-robin, best-of-one format; Group Stage, with 16 teams—including eight top-seeded nations—will play in four groups of four. Matches transition to a best-of-three format; and Playoffs (27–29 November): An eight-team single-elimination bracket. The Grand Final will be a best-of-five series to determine the gold medal winner.

As it became standard at ENC, qualification will be determined primarily through a newly developed ENC National Team Ranking. This system aggregates the performance points of the top five players on a nation’s roster from official Riot Games club competitions. The cut-off for these rankings is 14 June 2026, followed immediately by regional online qualifiers from 19–21 June to fill the remaining 14 slots for nations not receiving direct invites.

The 2025 EWC, also organised by the EWCF in Saudi Arabia, featured League of Legends in its schedule, culminating with South Korea’s Gen.G defeating China’s AG.AL International in a 3-2 Grand Final. By transitioning to national rosters for 2026, the ENC looks to capitalise on new and traditional sporting rivalries.

Readers can track every confirmed title, bids for national representation, and event updates via The Esports Radar’s ENC Live Tracker.

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