With the inaugural Esports Nations Cup (ENC) scheduled for November 2026 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the process for countries to formally build their national teams is now underway. The Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) has opened applications for organisations to become official National Team Partners, who will be responsible for constructing and representing their nation’s esports squads.

To support the initiative, the EWCF has set a $45 million fund, of which a total of $20 million is allocated as direct prize money for players and coaches, with a further $5 million designated as Club incentives for organisations that release their contracted professionals to compete. The final $20 million will be distributed via the ENC Development Fund to support national team partners with operational and logistical costs, including team travel and promotional activities like training camps and watch parties.

Update 25 March, 2026: National Team Partners Announced

The Esports World Cup Foundation has completed the initial review of applications for the 2026 Esports Nations Cup, selecting a shortlist of candidates from 630 submissions across 152 countries, according to an update from EWCF Director of Clubs, National Teams & Players, Hans Jagnow.

The list of chosen partners is found further in this article.

A notable trend observed across applications was the formation of coalitions bringing together clubs, tournament organizers, associations, and media partners within individual countries. Jagnow described this as a “wave of unity” reflecting strong local community roots.

Clarifying the participation model, Jagnow stated that a country’s presence at the November 2026 event in Riyadh is not dependent on having a selected National Team Partner. Players remain eligible to compete regardless of application outcomes. In some cases, delegations will be led by a National Team Manager or, in limited instances, supported regionally by an EWCF coordinator.

The EWCF’s criteria can be seen here.

The ENC is planned as a biennial event, beginning with a fixed host city in Riyadh for 2026 before moving to a rotating host-city model.

The 2026 edition will feature 16 game titles played over four weeks, with formats co-developed with official game partners including Electronic Arts (EA), Chess.com, KRAFTON Inc., and Ubisoft. A key rule confirmed by the EWCF prohibits full club rosters from competing as national teams, requiring nations to form distinct line-ups.

The confirmed titles are:

Update 4 March 2026: EWCF position after regional escalation

Following the sharp escalation of conflict across the Middle East—which saw the diplomatic quarter in Riyadh targeted by drone strikes—The Esports Radar has reached out to the EWCF for an official statement. The direct impact on the capital city has raised urgent questions regarding the safety and logistical feasibility of the ENC.

The EWCF provided us with the following statement:

“EWC and ENC remain on track. Both events are scheduled several months from now, and preparations are proceeding as planned. At the same time, we are keeping a close watch on the situation and remain in active coordination with relevant authorities.“

The safety and well-being of all players, fans, partners, and staff is our priority. We have robust operational and contingency plans in place and will keep stakeholders informed should circumstances change.“

When asked for specifics on these contingency plans, the EWCF did not indicate that a change of location or date is being considered: “For safety and security reasons, we don’t publish specific operational measures. Preparations for EWC and ENC continue as planned.”

The Esports Radar will continue to update this article as further key developments emerge nation to nation, from who’s applying to who’s confirmed, and more!

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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.

Countries are in alphabetical order. While we restructure this Live Tracker, you will first fee a list of the announced National Partners and then some context on the selection process of some of the listed countries.

National Team Partners (Full List)

  • Argentina
    • Partner & Manager: Cámara Argentina de Deportes Electrónicos (CADE)
    • Supported by: 9z, AGS, FiRe, KRÜ, ShindeN and 20+ more
    • Contact: Mariel Lluch
  • Australia
    • Partner & Manager: Events Engine
    • Contact: Hayden Shiels
  • Austria
    • Partner & Manager: E-Sport Verband Österreich
    • Contact: Manuel Haselberger
  • Azerbaijan
    • National Team Manager: Rasad Fazil
  • Bahamas
    • National Team Manager: Adam Hanna
  • Bahrain
    • National Team Manager: Zainab AlTurabi
  • Bangladesh
    • Partner & Manager: Bangladesh Youth Development and Electronic Sports Association (BYDESA)
    • Contact: Aga Rafsan
  • Belgium
    • National Team Manager: Younes Lazaar
  • Bhutan
    • National Team Manager: Pending Stakeholder Alignment
  • Brazil
    • Partner & Manager: Aliança Brasileira de Esports
    • Supported by: Fluxo W7M, FURIA, Loud, MIBR, Pain Gaming, Red Canids
    • Contact: Yuri Cerezo Uchiyama
  • Brunei Darussalam
    • Partner & Manager: Esports Association of Brunei
    • Contact: Xiao Hao Yee
  • Bulgaria
    • National Team Manager: Pavel Zarkov
  • Cameroon
    • National Team Manager: Francline Fonderson
  • Canada
    • Partner & Manager: Esport Canada
    • Supported by: Overactive Media / Toronto Ultra
    • Contact: Dawson Lovell
  • Chile
    • Partner & Manager: Game Club
    • Supported by: LEVIATAN
    • Contact: Tomás Mosqueira
  • Chinese Taipei
    • Partner & Manager: Chinese Taipei Esports Association
    • Contact: Grace Chen
  • Colombia
    • National Team Manager: Mario Agudelo
  • Costa Rica
    • National Team Manager: Felipe Montoya
  • Côte d’Ivoire
    • National Team Manager: Jean-Philippe N’Guessan
  • Croatia
    • Partner & Manager: Good Game Global
    • Contact: Nikola Stolnik
  • Cuba
    • National Team Manager: Javier Vidal
  • Czechia
    • Partner & Manager: Česká asociace esportu
    • Contact: Jiří Plevka
  • Democratic Rep. of Timor-Leste
    • National Team Manager: Camacho Ramos da Silva Pinto
  • Denmark
    • Partner & Manager: GGDanmark
    • Contact: Andreas Elversøe
  • Djibouti
    • National Team Manager: Eleyeh I.Daher
  • Dominican Republic
    • Partner & Manager: Federacion Dominicana de Deporte Electronico
    • Contact: Gabriel Garrido
  • Egypt
    • Partner & Manager: Egyptian Esports Federation
    • Contact: Mostafa Hassan
  • Finland
    • Partner & Manager: Assembly & ENCE
    • Supported by: ENCE, Finnish Esports Federation (SEUL)
    • Contact: Eemeli Ikonen
  • France
    • National Team Manager: Bora Kim
  • Georgia
    • National Team Manager: Tsotne Chogovadze
  • Germany
    • Partner & Manager: Esports Player Foundation
    • Supported by: DOSB, ESBD, game e.V.
    • Contact: Christian Lenz
  • Ghana
    • National Team Manager: Ebenezer Kwesi Hayford
  • Great Britain
    • Partner & Manager: British Esports Federation
    • Supported by: Esports Wales, Fnatic, Scottish Esports, The Football Association, UKETC
    • Contact: Jeff Simpkins
  • Greece
    • National Team Manager: Anastasios Eleftheriadis
  • Guam
    • National Team Manager: Ken San Nicolas
  • Guatemala
    • National Team Manager: Pablo Melgar
  • Honduras
    • National Team Manager: Rafael Urbina
  • Hong Kong, China
    • Partner & Manager: Esports Association of Hong Kong, China
    • Contact: Chen Lung Shing
  • Hungary
    • Partner & Manager: Hungarian E-sports Federation
    • Contact: Kis Balázs
  • Iceland
    • National Team Manager: Bjarki Már Sigurðsson
  • India
    • Partner & Manager: NODWIN Gaming Private Limited
    • Contact: Akhil Kavuturu
  • Indonesia
    • Partner & Manager: Pengurus Besar Esports Indonesia
    • Contact: Glorya Famiela
  • Ireland
    • National Team Manager: Ronan Monaghan
  • Israel
    • Partner & Manager: Israeli Esports Association
    • Contact: Gil Ronen
  • Italy
    • Partner & Manager: Italian Interactive Digital Entertainment Association (IIDEA)
    • Supported by: DNSTY, NOVO, Reply Totem, HBMLE, Outplayed, EKO, Exeed, King, PG
    • Contact: Gabriele Catterin
  • Jamaica
    • National Team Manager: Andrew Johnson
  • Japan
    • Partner & Manager: Japan Esports Union
    • Supported by: NESTA (Crazy Racoon, DFM, Fennel, QT Dig, Reject, Riddle, Scarz, Varrel, Zeta Division)
    • Contact: Kosuke Hiraiwa
  • Jordan
    • Partner & Manager: Jordan Esports Federation
    • Contact: Mohammad Majali
  • Kazakhstan
    • Partner & Manager: Qazaq Cybersport Federation (QCF)
    • Contact: Kazbek Zhangaziyev
  • Kenya
    • National Team Manager: Shon Osimbo
  • Kuwait
    • National Team Manager: Abdulmohsen Ibrahim Alnooh
  • Kyrgyzstan
    • Partner & Manager: Esports Federation of Kyrgyzstan
    • Contact: Nurbek Abdygulov
  • Lao People’s Democratic Republic
    • National Team Manager: Somphachanh Sengsilavong
  • Latvia
    • National Team Manager: Sandis Rainskis
  • Lebanon
    • Partner & Manager: Lebanese Esports Federation and Robotics
    • Contact: Ahmad Hamadani
  • Lithuania
    • Partner & Manager: Lithuanian Esports Federation (LEF)
    • Contact: Sarunas Tamulis
  • Malawi
    • National Team Manager: Robert Cheleuka
  • Malaysia
    • Partner & Manager: Malaysian Esports Federation
    • Contact: Amir Syafiq bin Abd Rashid
  • Mali
    • National Team Manager: Mohamed Coulibaly
  • Mexico
    • National Team Manager: Emmanuel Neyra
  • Mongolia
    • Partner & Manager: Mongolian Esports Association
    • Contact: Maral Manlai
  • Morocco
    • Partner & Manager: The Royal Moroccan Federation of Electronic Games
    • Contact: Saad Bassy
  • Myanmar
    • Partner & Manager: Myanmar Esports Federation (MESF)
    • Contact: Kyaw Htet Lin
  • Netherlands
    • Partner & Manager: Hypersolid
    • Supported by: Team Liquid
    • Contact: Brittany Lattanzio
  • New Zealand
    • Partner & Manager: New Zealand Esports Federation
    • Contact: Jonathan Jansen
  • Nigeria
    • Partner & Manager: Cade Esports
    • Contact: Shola Adenipebi
  • Norway
    • Partner & Manager: Skagerrak
    • Supported by: HEROIC
    • Contact: Kevin Mobekk
  • Oman
    • Partner & Manager: Omani Gaming and Esports Committee
    • Contact: Hamed al Jahwari
  • Pakistan
    • National Team Manager: Danyal Arshad Chishty
  • Paraguay
    • National Team Manager: Esteban Lindgren
  • People’s Republic of China
    • Partner & Manager: JingYue
    • Supported by: All Gamers, Anyone’s Legend, Talent, KuaiShow, Bilibili, Tyloo, Qin Jiu, Xtreme, Lynn Vision, Trace
    • Contact: Xiang Shi
  • Peru
    • Partner & Manager: FEDEPEDE
    • Contact: Christian Roque
  • Philippines
    • Partner & Manager: Pilipinas E-sports Organization
    • Contact: Leo Andrew Escutin
  • Poland
    • Partner & Manager: Fantasyexpo
    • Contact: Adrian Błaszczyk
  • Portugal
    • Partner & Manager: Liga Portugal
    • Supported by: Luna Esports, SAW
    • Contact: Armando Vale
  • Republic of Korea
    • Partner & Manager: Korea Esports Association (KeSPA)
    • Contact: Hyucksoo (David), Shin
  • Republic of Moldova
    • National Team Manager: Vasile Gavrilita
  • Romania
    • Partner & Manager: ROESF Association
    • Contact: Mihai Daniel Cotos
  • Saudi Arabia
    • Partner & Manager: Saudi Esports Federation
    • Contact: Abdallah Khalid Alnamlah
  • Senegal
    • Partner & Manager: Senegalese Federation of Electronic Sports (FESSEDA)
    • Contact: El Hadji Mansour Jacques Sagna
  • Serbia
    • National Team Manager: Milan Đukić
  • Slovakia
    • Partner & Manager: Slovenská asociácia elektronických športov
    • Contact: Denis Uhrik
  • Slovenia
    • Partner & Manager: Slovenian Esports Federation
    • Contact: Rok Avbelj
  • South Africa
    • National Team Manager: Michele Brondani
  • Spain
    • Partner & Manager: Lastlap SL
    • Supported by: KOI, GiantX, Team Heretics, FCBarcelona Esports, UCAM
    • Contact: David Alonso
  • Sweden
    • Partner & Manager: Black Molly Entertainment (BME)
    • Contact: Robin Jedhammar
  • Switzerland
    • Partner & Manager: Shifters / Swiss Esports Federation (SeSF)
    • Contact: Marissa Duret
  • Syrian Arab Republic
    • National Team Manager: Omar Nakkaa
  • Tajikistan
    • National Team Manager: Turaev Firdavs
  • Thailand
    • Partner & Manager: Thailand Esports Federation
    • Contact: Panupong Ongkhunarak
  • Tunisia
    • Partner & Manager: Tunisian Esports Federation
    • Contact: Mouhamed Ali Barbouchi
  • Türkiye
    • Partner & Manager: Türki̇ye Espor Federasyonu (TESFED)
    • Contact: Mert Tanriverdi
  • Turkmenistan
    • National Team Manager: Mekan Eyeberdiyev
  • Ukraine
    • Partner & Manager: Ukrainian Esports Federation (UESF)
    • Contact: Mykyta Babych
  • United Arab Emirates
    • Partner & Manager: Team Nigma
    • Supported by: Abu Dhabi Gaming
    • Contact: Ali Nedal Jerab
  • United States of America
    • Partner & Manager: USA Esports
    • Supported by: 100Thieves, Dignitas, TSM, Spacestation, FlyQuest, Cloud9, NRG, Misfits, M80, Ghost
    • Contact: Daniel Clerke
  • Uruguay
    • Partner & Manager: Asociación Uruguaya de Deportes Virtuales (AUDV)
    • Contact: Gastón García
  • Uzbekistan
    • National Team Manager: Jaloliddin Khusanov
  • Vietnam
    • Partner & Manager: Vietnam Recreational and Electronic Sports Association (VIRESA)
    • Contact: Cao (Celine) Thi Thu Phuong
  • Zambia
    • National Team Manager: Choolwe Elen Shabukali

–

Argentina

CADE submits application for Argentina

According to information obtained by The Esports Radar, the Argentine Chamber of Electronic Sports (Cámara Argentina de Deportes Electrónicos, CADE) has applied to become the National Team Partner. The chamber is an organization founded by major esports teams in the country, including 9z, Furious Gaming, Isurus, KRÜ and Leviatan, alongside event producers and other key industry entities.

–

Belgium

Local federation running for representation

The Belgian Esports Federation (BESF) has confirmed its application to become the National Team Partner for Belgium. The federation has proposed its Commissioner for National Teams & Competitions, Samy Bessi, as the prospective National Team Manager. Bessi is also a Board Member of the Global Esports Federation (GEF).

In its public announcement, the BESF emphasized a stakeholder-driven strategy for its bid, issuing an open call for coaches, community figures, and other ecosystem participants to help form teams across the tournament’s titles. The federation stated that, if selected, it would focus on using the associated development fund to support grassroots initiatives and better connect them with the national competitive structure.

–

Brazil

Club alliance applying for representation

The Esports Radar learned that an alliance of major clubs from the Brazilian esports scene is sending an application to the Esports World Cup Foundation.

Participating teams in the group are Fluxo W7M, FURIA, LOUD, MIBR, paiN Gaming, and Red Canids, with Yuri “Fly” Uchiyama, CEO at gaming platform Gamers Club and former President of MIBR, as the Team Manager.

–

Canada

Canada holds open community call to inform bid

In Canada, Esport Canada and OverActive Media are collaborating to submit a bid to become the National Team Partner. The organisations hosted an open community call exclusive to Canadians, inviting “community members, athletes, tournament organizers, and stakeholders” to help shape their application.

Neil Duffy, Chief Commercial Officer, Americas at OverActive Media, announced the call, stating participants would “hear from Melissa Burns (EC) and Neil Duffy (OAM) about our experiences, aspirations and how you can get involved!” The session aims to inform “a connected approach to supporting Canadian participation” and ensure alignment with “equity, integrity, and transparency in decision-making.”

–

Chile

Chile’s bid led by GameClub Studio

Tomás Mosquera, President of Chile’s National Esports Association, confirmed to The Esports Radar he is designated as Chile’s National Team Manager in the case the application led by GameClub Studio, a national gaming club chain founded by former Riot Games staff and industry experts, succeeds.

The studio currently organizes the ULeague, a university esports circuit involving 28 institutions, and reports having organized over 600 tournaments since 2019.

–

Denmark

Sources: Denmark’s esports elite submit bid for Nations Cup

Sources heard by The Esports Radar informed that a consortium of Denmark’s top esports industry figures has submitted a bid to become the National Team Partner.

The group includes high-profile names such as Martin Rosenbæk (Founder of HLTV and Dust2.dk), Daniel Vorborg (CEO of UNCORE), Jonas Gundersen (Founder of Fusion Esports Group, owner of Astralis), and former football captain Simon Kjær as an ambassador. Sources indicate the proposal plans for a merit-based selection system and the establishment of a dedicated bootcamp facility in Copenhagen.

The application is reportedly structured to operate as an independent legal entity and has outlined long-term initiatives including national tournaments and grassroots pathways. The bid is now under review by the Esports World Cup Foundation.

–

France

France to get independent representative selected by the EWCF

The Union Française des Clubs d’Esport Professionnels (UFCEP) has withdrawn its application to become National Team Partner for the 2026 Esports Nations Cup, the coalition announced.

The decision brings an end to what had been a contested bid process in France. In 2026, two major separate applications emerged: one from UFCEP, a coalition of major professional clubs including Team Vitality, Karmine Corp, and Gentle Mates; and another from France Esports, the national esports federation, which had nominated two-time Dota 2 world champion Sébastien “Ceb” Debs as its proposed National Team Manager.

According to UFCEP’s statement, the withdrawal follows disagreements over project organisation and selection rules, which the coalition said no longer aligned with the vision of its member clubs. Despite attempts to find a resolution, the clubs and their partner N.E.O, founded by industry veterans Bertrand Amar and Matthieu Dallon, reached an impasse and could not proceed with the application.

According to information first published by L’Équipe and then confirmed by Karmine Corp’s Board Member Arthur Perticoz, the Union could not agree with a join of forces with France Esports for the representation, proposed by the EWCF. Claims are that the EWCF will now select an independent manager for the country, not connected with any of the bids. The Esports Radar contacted the EWCF for clarification.

The withdrawal does not affect player eligibility, as French competitors may still participate through other delegation structures. Final partner selections are expected in March 2026.

–

Netherlands

Netherlands Esports Trade Association advancing through phases

The Netherlands has advanced to the final phase of the selection process after being shortlisted as a candidate for National Team Partner, according to the Branchevereniging Esports Nederland (BEN).

The Dutch bid began taking shape in late January, when BEN issued an open call for ecosystem partners and supporters, setting a January 27 deadline for organizations to pledge their backing. At the time, BEN stated its ambition to position the Netherlands structurally within the world’s top 10 esports nations.

Following the shortlist notification in mid-February, the bid moved into phase 2, with organizers formalizing partnerships and collecting written statements of support.

Milo van Heugten, Dutch esports teacher and entrepreneur, confirmed that phase 2 documentation has now been submitted. The bid was developed with input from clubs, creators, and stakeholders across the Dutch esports landscape. Van Heugten noted that the process demonstrated alignment and unity within the country’s esports community, regardless of the final outcome.

–

Poland

Poland submits three-entity application

One of the submitted bids by Poland involves three entities: arrMYgg, eMine (ProPlayers), and ZW Agency.

arrMYgg is listed as the lead applicant. Should the bid succeed, the organization’s COO Jakub Kubiak is designated to be the National Team Manager; ProPlayers is noted for player networking and bootcamp facilities; and ZW Agency is cited for its work in content creation with clients such as Red Bull and Riot Games in Poland.

This is one of multiple reported bids emerging from Poland. The Esports Radar will continue to monitor developments.

–

Portugal

Application by local federation

The Portuguese Esports Federation (FPDE) has submitted an application to become a National Team Partner, sources tell The Esports Radar. The federation, which holds affiliations with both the Global Esports Federation (GEF) and the International Esports Federation (IESF), recently made headlines for renewing its partnership with MOONTON Games to develop Portugal’s Mobile Legends: Bang Bang scene.

–

Spain

OverActive Media supports Spanish bid

The Spanish bid for the ENC was detailed in a social media post by Adam Adamou, CEO of OverActive Media. The application involves a collaborative coalition of Spain-based esports organizations. OverActive maintains a presence in the Spanish scene through its team, Movistar KOI.

Adamou claimed that this supportive role does not create a conflict of interest, contrasting it with OverActive’s lead-operator position in Canada’s application. He attributed the different approaches to Spain’s more structured esports ecosystem, which allows the company to contribute from within a coalition.

“We have people, talent, teams, and players in both markets, and we’ll support where we can add real value so the best players from the top nations can compete at the highest level,” the post read.

Both the Spanish and Canadian national bids are currently pending formal approval from the Esports World Cup Foundation.

–

Tunisia

Tunisia’s Bid Focuses on National Structure

Gamefy Academy has submitted its application to represent Tunisia, framing the bid as part of a longer-term effort to structure the national esports ecosystem. The organization emphasizes improving team readiness, creating player development paths, and better connecting local clubs and operators.

The application is supported by a coalition of local organizations, including JSK Esports, Ghools Esports, EST Esports, and cinema chain Pathé.

Ambassadors mentioned at the announcement are esports personality and current Head of Marketing at GnG Esports Foued El Beji, creator Yassine Sondes, esports caster Karim Mellouli, and creator Nour Ben Youssef.

–

United Kingdom

UK consortium applies, seeks national team manager

In the United Kingdom, a consortium led by the British Esports Federation, with support from partners at Fnatic, The Football Association, Esports Wales, Scottish Esports and The UK Esports Teams Committee (UKETC), is applying to be the National Team Partner.

As part of its bid, the collective has begun seeking a National Team Manager for a potential Great Britain team. The manager would serve as the primary point of contact with the ENC, select game coaches, and help build national rosters in coordination with publishers, clubs, and players. The EWCF sets the compensation for the role at up to $25,000 annually, comprising a $5,000 service fee and up to $20,000 in incentives.

The federation has issued a public call for expressions of interest, noting that “the successful candidate will be submitted as the preferred National Team Manager for our collective application.” It emphasised that the role is contingent on the consortium’s bid being successful. Interviews scheduled for 28th January. A duo headed by Resolve Esports’ Jeff Simpkins and flanked by Ninjas in Pyjamas’ Grant Rousseau has publicly expressed their interest in leading the United Kingdom push for the ENC.

–

United States

USA Esports likely on the run

A new organization, USA Esports, launched in March 2026 with the aim of becoming the official National Governing Body (NGB) for esports in the United States. The non-profit entity is seeking recognition from the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC), positioning itself alongside traditional sports NGBs like USA Basketball and U.S. Soccer.

The initiative is backed by a coalition of major professional organizations including Team Liquid, Cloud9, TSM, 100 Thieves, NRG, FlyQuest, and M80, alongside academic programs from UCLA, the University of Kentucky, TCU, and Georgia Tech .

The Esports Radar is investigating whether USA Esports has applied to become the National Team Partner for the 2026 Esports Nations Cup. The organisation’s website currently displays a “teams” section listing all games confirmed for the upcoming ENC, suggesting preparation for national team representation across multiple titles.

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