Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — The Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) has unveiled the Esports Nations Cup (ENC), a groundbreaking tournament that will see the world’s best players represent their countries on the global stage for the first time at this scale.

Announced Saturday at the New Global Sport Conference in Riyadh, the competition is billed as a landmark for international esports, combining national pride with elite-level competition.

The inaugural edition will debut in Riyadh in November 2026 before adopting a rotating host model.

“Nation versus nation competition is the ultimate expression of sport,” said Ralf Reichert, CEO of EWCF.

“The ENC gives 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.”

The ENC will be co-developed with leading publishers and video game companies — Electronic Arts, Krafton, Tencent, and Ubisoft — ensuring game-specific qualification pathways, national rankings, and formats that resonate with fans.

National teams from all major regions, including North and South America, Europe, MENA, Africa, Asia, and SEA & Oceania, will compete in both team-based and solo events.

A multi-tiered qualification model will combine global rankings, regional qualifiers, and Wildcard entries to create a diverse and competitive field. To guarantee fairness, all players will receive equal placement rewards across every game.

The tournament is set to be staged every two years, giving players, coaches, and national federations a dependable framework, while providing publishers, clubs, and sponsors with confidence to invest in long-term national programs.

The announcement builds on the momentum of the Esports World Cup, which earlier this year became the largest multi-title esports event in the world. While that competition highlights the best clubs globally, the ENC shifts the spotlight to national identity, aiming to grow esports into a structure more closely resembling traditional sport.