The Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) unveiled the Esports Nations Cup (ENC), the first-ever large-scale nation-versus-nation competition in the industry.
The announcement was made live at the New Global Sport Conference (NGSC), alongside more than 1,500 industry leaders.
EWCF CEO Ralf Reichert described the launch as “the next evolution of esports,” introducing national pride to a stage that has so far been dominated by club-based competition.
“Nation versus nation competition is the ultimate expression of sport,” Reichert told the audience.
“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 accelerate the growth of esports worldwide.”
Global scale, global partners
The inaugural ENC will take place in Riyadh in November 2026, before rotating to new host countries every two years. More than 100 nations are expected to compete, with 1,500 players qualifying for the finals across 15 leading esports titles.
Electronic Arts (EA), Krafton, Tencent, and Ubisoft have been confirmed as core partners, each helping design national ranking systems, qualification formats, and competition pathways for their games.
The competition will feature both team-based and solo-player events, with a multi-layered qualification process balancing global rankings, regional qualifiers, and wildcard entries to ensure inclusivity, even for nations with emerging esports ecosystems.
All players will be guaranteed prize money, with equal placement rewards across all titles.
Building on Riyadh’s esports momentum
The launch builds on the momentum of the Esports World Cup (EWC), which earlier this year.
While the EWC brought the world’s biggest clubs together, the ENC shifts the spotlight to nations, fueling new rivalries and opportunities for global recognition
The ENC announcement follows the Kingdom’s multibillion-dollar investment in the sector, aligned with Vision 2030 and its ambition to become a global gaming powerhouse.
As Reichert concluded, “With the Nations Cup, esports claims its place alongside the world’s greatest sports. This is just the beginning.”
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