PARANAQUE--Banking on the success of the Esports World Cup, the organizers behind the said tournament series are bringing in a new tournament this time pitting national esports squads.
The Esports World Cup Foundation announced on Saturday night the launch of the Esports Nations Cup, with the inaugural event set for November 2026 in Riyadh.
“Nation versus nation competition is the ultimate expression of sport,” said Ralf Reichert, CEO of the EWCF.
“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 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.
The Philippine national esports team, also known as Sibol, will likely be a cinch to make it to the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang tournament.
A multi-layered qualification model will balance competitiveness and inclusivity: combining global rankings, regional qualifiers, and wildcard entries, including solidarity placements, to ensure a broad and representative competitive stage in every game.
All players will receive guaranteed prize money, with equal placement rewards across all games, ensuring fairness for players.
The EWCF will work with relevant stakeholders in each region to shape how teams are formed and represented.
The ENC will be done every two years with different countries taking their turns to host after Saudi Arabia finished its 2026 hosting.
The inaugural ENC edition will serve as a fitting prelude to the inaugural Olympic Esports Games the following year, which Saudi Arabia will also host.
