The Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) has officially added Rocket League to the lineup for the inaugural Esports Nations Cup (ENC) 2026. Scheduled to take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the tournament will run from 3 November to 8 November 2026 as part of the broader ENC event.

The competition will feature a robust qualification path, with 24 teams receiving direct invitations based on a newly established ENC Rocket League National Team Rankings. This ranking system aggregates the points of the top three players on a submitted national roster from the Rocket League Championship Series (RLCS), with a cut-off date set for 24 May 2026.

An additional 21 teams will earn spots through online regional qualifiers held between 17 and 19 July, while three slots are reserved for Wildcard entries.

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.

Rocket League has historically served as a cornerstone for major events in Saudi Arabia. The title was a primary draw during the Gamers8 festivals in 2022 and 2023, maintaining its momentum and spotlight through the Esports World Cup (EWC) in 2024 and 2025. Local teams Twisted Minds and Team Falcons field competitive rosters that constantly reach Tier-S tournament’s playoffs and count mainly on Saudi players.

In 2025, Epic Games and the EWCF entered a three-year agreement to ensure that both Rocket League and Fortnite feature as staple titles at the EWC, cementing the role of Epic Games’ properties within the Saudi Arabian gaming event through at least 2028.

The tournament format in November will consist of eight groups of six teams competing in a round-robin stage. The top two teams from each group will then advance to a single-elimination playoff bracket. While the group and early playoff matches will be best-of-five, the grand final is set to be a best-of-seven series. This 48-team scale represents one of the largest international Rocket League events to date.

Readers can view all confirmed titles, specific match dates, and real-time updates on how nations are assembling their rosters via The Esports Radar’s ENC Live Tracker.

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