The Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) has announced officially the launch for the Esports Nations Cup (ENC), a international tournament that is set for debut in Riyadh on November 2026. Planned as a event every two years, the ENC will bring the top esports athletes who will represent their countries, shifting competitive focus away from clubs and more into national teams.
A New Era for Global Esports
Image Credits: EWCF
Different from many traditional tournaments which are revolving around club organizations, the ENC put emphasis on national pride along with unity of competition. It will include both team-based as well as individual competitions, so players across the world gets a opportunity to play under their national flags. To support this effort, EWCF has collaborated with major publishers such as Electronic Arts, Krafton, Tencent and Ubisoft, who together shaping qualification systems and event formats made for each title’s style.
Inclusive Qualification and Fair Rewards
Image Credits: EWCF
The qualification structure is made in such a way to balance elite level with wider representation. National teams could get their entry through global rankings, regional qualifiers or even wildcard invitations that are made for helping emerging regions have visibility. Competitors will be coming from North America, South America, Europe, Middle East and Africa, Asia, and Southeast Asia plus Oceania, giving the tournament a very global field.
Prize distribution also will follow fair and transparent way. Every participant is to receive prize money, while rewards being standardized across the games so it remains equal. This method shows EWCF vision toward making a ecosystem more sustainable, which helps both the established powers of esports and the newer regions too.
Riyadh to Host the Inaugural Event
Image Credits: B.alotaby
The first ENC edition is to be hosted in Riyadh, in alignment to Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 strategy that aims positioning the country as global center for esports and entertainment. The announcement had been revealed during the New Global Sport Conference, attended by more than 1,500 industry leaders, showing the size of ambition carried in the project.
The Esports Nations Cup is meant to inspire fans, raise national esports systems, and make a stage where the best players worldwide can fight not only for titles, but also for their country pride.
