Esports World Cup Foundation Announces Esports Nations Cup

The exciting announcement was made at the New Global Sport Conference in Riyadh, where 1500 industry leaders met to discuss gaming, esports and sport.

The ENC is the first event of its kind at this scale. More than 100 nations are expected to compete, with 1500 players qualifying for the finals across 15 leading esports titles. It’s a landmark move where the best esports players in the world will compete for professional glory with their clubs as well as the honour of representing their countries.

Ralf Reichert, CEO of the Esports World Cup Foundation, explained: "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. It’s a stage to create heroes and inspire the next generation."

Teams from all major regions will be featured in the ENC, putting an emphasis on national pride and unity in competition. The event will take place every two years, with a different country hosting each time.

Major companies Electronic Arts, Krafton, Tencent, and Ubisoft are the first partners for the event, with others to be announced in the coming weeks. They’re co-developing the ENC, bringing the essential scale and insight into building a global competition for national teams. Each partner will help shape their game’s national ranking systems, qualification pathways, and event formats, ensuring the ENC resonates with their fans and meets the highest standards of competition.

Prize money will be split equally among winners, with all players guaranteed to receive some in the interest of fairness. The EWC Foundation will work with relevant stakeholders in each region to shape how teams are formed and represented.

As the newest addition to the EWCF portfolio, the ENC builds on the momentum of the Esports World Cup (the world’s largest multi-title esports event) and extends its mission to a new layer of global competition.

While the EWC unites the best clubs, the ENC unlocks a new frontier of regional representation. Debuting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in November 2026, the ENC is set to bring national esports teams to fans and cultures worldwide.