Inaugural Esports Nations Cup to take place in Saudi Arabia in 2026
The Esports World Cup Foundation has announced the Esports Nation Cup, a landmark tournament where esports players will represent their countries.
esports-world-championship16The ENC aims to feature national teams from all major regions, including North America, South America, Europe, MENA, Africa, Asia, and SEA & Oceania, competing in both team-based and solo-player formats.
"Nation versus nation competition is the ultimate expression of sport," said Ralf Reichert, CEO of the Esports World Cup Foundation.
"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 ENC will be hosted every two years, providing a dependable structure for players, coaches, and esports organisations - and confidence for publishers, clubs, and partners to invest in long-term national team programs.
The inaugural tournament will be held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in November 2026. Following that, the event will move to a rotating host model.