Esports Nation Cup Slated for 2026

Following a successful Esports World Cup circuit for two consecutive years, Saudi Arabia’s Esports World Cup Foundation has just announced a major surprise in the form of Esports Nation Cup, which is expected to shock the global esports scene in 2026.

The inaugural ENC circuit is scheduled to take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, starting in November 2026. It is envisioned as a large-scale international esports competition that will become part of the annual Esports World Cup roadmap. And as usual, multiple games will be featured here.

But rather than pitting clubs from around the world against each other, the ENC will see countries duke it out against each other. This is expected to be a premier Tier 1 event, offering not only substantial prize pools but also a sense of national pride for the participants.

Although specific titles have yet to be announced, the EWCF has confirmed that several major developers—including Electronic Arts, Krafton, Tencent, and Ubisoft—have committed to the competition. These developers are also involved in designing technical elements such as national ranking systems, qualification pathways, and tournament formats aligned with established competitive standards.

To ensure inclusivity, the organizers will guarantee representation for all regions worldwide—including North America, South America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, East Asia, Southeast Asia, and Oceania. EWCF CEO Ralf Reichert emphasized that each region has its own unique characteristics, thus the foundation is committed to delivering the best possible experience for fans.

Potential overlap with IESF event

Hype aside, some esports analysts have raised questions about the ecosystem of national team esports competitions, which has long been overseen by the International Esports Federation (IESF). IESF also hosts a similar competition, rotating locations each year.

Since its establishment in 2008 in Busan, South Korea, IESF has been the primary organization governing national-level esports competitions, with its flagship event—the IESF World Championship—serving as a multi-title competitive platform. In Southeast Asia, the IESF WC has been held twice in Indonesia: first in Jakarta in 2016 and later in Bali in 2022.

The timing of these events is particularly noteworthy. In recent years, the IESF WC has typically been held toward the end of the year, between October and December. Notably, last year’s edition took place in the same location scheduled for the 2026 ENC. This overlap raises questions about whether the two events might be held in close proximity.

While no official schedule has been released for the next year IESF WC, the potential conflict between these events surely deserves attention to avoid miscommunication among prepared participants and to ensure that each country has sufficient time to optimally prepare its representatives—especially given the likelihood that both competitions may feature some of the same games.

For the latest updates and details, fans and participants can follow the ENC through the official Esports World Cup website and its social media channels.