In
an interview with RFT published on Thursday, April 23, Team France head coach Quentin “
Zeph” Viguié officially revealed the five players set to represent the country at the upcoming
Esports Nations Cup 2026.
If approved by the tournament organizers, the roster will feature
in the toplane,
in the jungle,
in mid,
as AD carry, and
as support.
This announcement puts an end to
the biggest uncertainty surrounding the French lineup — particularly in the botlane. Zeph’s decision to field Caliste over
, the reigning LEC champion with G2 Esports and recent First Stand 2026 finalist, stands out as the most debated call.
A four-star contender
While China and South Korea are expected to dominate this inaugural edition of the ENC, France enters the competition as one of the most dangerous Western contenders. With a deep pool of talent competing across the LEC and top ERLs like the LFL, expectations were high. And on paper, this roster delivers.
Several familiar duos will reunite. Adam and nuc, who enjoyed some of the best moments of their careers together on Team BDS, will once again share the Rift. Meanwhile, SkewMond and Caliste — two of the most exciting rookies to debut in the LEC in 2025 — will team up for the first time. Zoelys, fresh off a runner-up finish at EMEA Masters with Galions, completes the lineup.
Caliste over Hans Sama
Zeph addressed the much discussed ADC decision directly. Beyond Caliste’s mechanical ceiling and youth, the coach emphasized familiarity and synergy as key factors. Currently working with Caliste at Karmine Corp, Zeph highlighted his existing relationship with the player, but also pointed to the opportunity to explore a new jungle–bot synergy with SkewMond rather than relying on the established G2 pairing.
He also revealed that, regardless of the ADC choice, both candidates expressed a preference to play alongside Zoelys in the botlane — a decision that ultimately left other players like
out of the roster.
The coach also showed strong confidence in his solo laners, despite their current situations. Adam, currently without a team, was described as the clear standout choice for the toplane: “It’s still the least stacked role in France […] and Adam is the only real candidate who already has competitive experience at the highest level.”
“No concern” about nuc
As for nuc, who has been struggling with Shifters during the LEC Spring Split, Zeph dismissed any concerns: “The ENC and the LEC are going to be completely different tournaments, with different teams. I have no concern about his individual level.”
At this stage, no substitute players have been announced. As a reminder, each nation can submit two substitutes. Zeph also confirmed he will not have an assistant coach physically present during the ENC, though remote support may be available.