Esports Nations Cup 2026: Every Confirmed Game and Publisher

The Esports Nations Cup (ENC) 2026 is scheduled for November in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Organized by the EWCF, the inaugural competition features 16 game titles and over 120 participating nations. Unlike the club-centric Esports World Cup (EWC), the ENC is a biennial tournament centered on national team representation. The event structure includes direct invites based on global rankings and regional qualifiers held throughout the year.

Seven founding publishers are currently confirmed for the tournament: Electronic Arts, Ubisoft, Tencent, Krafton, Moonton Games, SNK, and Chess.com. While Mobile Legends: Bang Bang is the only title officially announced to date, these partnerships confirm the involvement of major industry franchises.

Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) is the first game confirmed for the Esports Nations Cup 2026. From November 23 to 29, 32 national teams will compete in Riyadh for a $1,500,000 prize pool. The top 16 nations receive direct invites based on the August 2nd ranking, while the remaining slots are decided via regional qualifiers. The tournament features a group stage followed by a single-elimination bracket, ending in a Best-of-7 Grand Final.

Trackmania joins the Esports Nations Cup 2026 from November 19 to 22 with a $250,000 prize pool. The competition features 32 drivers, with 16 direct invites based on the May 31st ranking cut-off and the remaining slots filled via regional qualifiers in June. The 1v1v1v1 Cup Mode format moves from a 120-point limit group stage to a 140-point limit single-elimination bracket to crown the champion.

Dota 2 opens the Esports Nations Cup 2026 in Riyadh from November 2 to 8. 32 national teams will compete for a $1,500,000 prize pool, with 16 direct invitations issued following the June 7th ranking cut-off. The remaining participants will qualify through regional events held from June 16 to July 5. The format consists of a Bo1 round-robin group stage followed by a 16-team single-elimination bracket.

FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves makes its national team debut at the Esports Nations Cup 2026 from November 12 to 15. 32 elite players will compete for a $250,000 prize pool, with the top 16 securing direct invites via the SNK World Championships ranking by the June 28th cut-off. The remaining 16 spots will be filled through a global qualifier circuit held from July 3 to 5. The tournament format features a Bo7 round-robin group stage followed by a 16-player single-elimination bracket contested in Bo9 matches.

Chess joins the Esports Nations Cup 2026 from November 2 to 8 with a $600,000 prize pool. The competition features 128 players, with 64 direct invites based on the May 26th ranking cut-off—utilizing Champions Chess Tour and Tilted Tuesday results—while 56 slots are decided via regional qualifiers in June. Using a Rapid 10+0 time control, the tournament begins with a best-of-two round-robin group stage before advancing to a 64-player single-elimination bracket with Armageddon tie-breakers.

Honor of Kings makes its Esports Nations Cup 2026 debut from November 24 to 29, featuring 24 national teams competing for a $1,320,000 prize pool. The top 12 nations will receive direct invitations based on the June 7th ranking cut-off, while the remaining slots will be contested through regional qualifiers held from July 3 to 5. The tournament structure begins with a round-robin group stage (four groups of six), with the top 16 teams advancing to a single-elimination playoff bracket to determine the champion.

Counter-Strike 2 will debut at the Esports Nations Cup 2026 in Riyadh from November 10 to 15. The tournament features 24 national teams determined through a massive two-stage qualification process involving over 15,000 players across 96 countries, running from July 6 to 19. The June 1st ranking cut-off will utilize a newly created CS2 National Team Ranking based on Valve Regional Standings (VRS) or FACEIT Elo. The main event consists of a Bo1 round-robin group stage (four groups of six), followed by a 16-team single-elimination playoff bracket contested in Bo3, ending in a Best-of-5 Grand Final. Notably, rosters must consist of players with the same citizenship, and no more than three players from the same VRS-ranked team may be registered on a single national squad.

EA Sports FC enters the Esports Nations Cup 2026 during Week 3, running from November 17 to 22. The competition features 128 players battling for a $600,000 prize pool in a 1v1 game mode. Direct invitations for 64 players will be finalized at the July 26th ranking cut-off, with the remaining 56 qualifier slots and 8 wildcard spots determined shortly after. The tournament utilizes a best-of-one round-robin group stage (16 groups of eight), followed by a high-stakes 64-player single-elimination playoff bracket.

Rainbow Six Siege joins the Esports Nations Cup 2026 lineup, with 24 national teams competing in Riyadh from November 18 to 22. The field will consist of 12 direct invites based on the May 17th ranking cut-off—which aggregates Six Invitational and EWC points—alongside 10 qualifier spots and 2 wildcards. Regional double-elimination qualifiers will be held from May 29 to 31 across North America, South America, Europe, MENA, and Asia. The tournament structure features a Bo1 round-robin group stage followed by a 16-team single-elimination playoff bracket (Bo3), culminating in a Best-of-5 Grand Final.

PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS joins the Esports Nations Cup 2026 from November 11 to 15, featuring 24 national teams. Competing for a $1,120,000 prize pool, the event includes 12 direct invites determined by the June 7th ranking cut-off. Eligibility is grounded in the PUBG Power Ranking as of May 10th. The tournament structure moves from a group stage, where three groups of eight teams play six matches each, to a final phase featuring 12 high-stakes matches for the top 16 squads.

Apex Legends makes its Esports Nations Cup 2026 debut from November 26 to 29, featuring 40 national squads competing for a $1,200,000 prize pool. The field consists of 20 direct invitations based on ALGS Championship Points as of the July 12th cut-off date, 18 slots determined via regional qualifiers on August 1–2, and two wildcard selections. The tournament structure progresses from a group stage with four groups of ten teams into a 20-team Match Point Finals stage to crown the national champion.

VALORANT makes its appearance at the Esports Nations Cup 2026 from November 8 to 15, where 32 national teams will compete for a $1,500,000 prize pool. The tournament field includes 16 direct invitations based on the June 21st ranking cut-off, which utilizes a new national ranking system derived from VALORANT Champions Tour performance. The competition starts with a best-of-one round-robin group stage featuring four groups of eight teams, with the top four from each group advancing to a single-elimination playoff bracket played in best-of-three series.

Rocket League joins the Esports Nations Cup 2026 during the opening week in Riyadh, with 48 national teams competing for a $1,320,000 prize pool. The competition features 24 direct invitations based on the May 24th ranking cut-off, which evaluates performance in the Rocket League Championship Series (RLCS). An additional 21 slots will be filled via regional qualifiers held from July 17 to 19, alongside three wildcard selections. The tournament structure includes a Bo5 round-robin group stage (eight groups of six), leading into a 16-team single-elimination playoff bracket that culminates in a Best-of-7 Grand Final.

League of Legends joins the Esports Nations Cup 2026 in Riyadh from November 21 to 29 with a $1,500,000 prize pool. The competition features 32 national teams, with 16 direct invites determined by the June 14th ranking cut-off. The top eight ranked nations seed directly into the Group Stage, while those ranked 9th–16th enter the Play-In stage. Regional double-elimination qualifiers will follow from June 19 to 21 to fill the remaining slots. The tournament progresses through a Bo1 double round-robin Play-In, a Bo3 round-robin Group Stage, and an eight-team single-elimination playoff bracket, concluding in a Best-of-5 Grand Final.

PUBG MOBILE makes its debut at the Esports Nations Cup 2026 in Riyadh from November 3 to 8, featuring 32 national teams and 128 athletes. Competing for a $1,320,000 prize pool, the field includes 16 direct invitations based on the June 7th ranking cut-off, which aggregates results from the World Cup, Global Championship, and the 2026 Global Open. Remaining slots will be filled through regional qualifiers held from July 10 to 12. The tournament begins with a round-robin group stage (four groups of eight), with the top 16 teams advancing to a Grand Final decided across 18 matches using the Smash rule point system.

Street Fighter 6 makes its debut at the Esports Nations Cup 2026 from November 18 to 22. In a departure from traditional 1v1 formats, the tournament will feature a 4-on-4 Team Battle structure with 24 national teams competing for an $880,000 prize pool. The top 12 nations will receive direct invitations based on the June 28th ranking cut-off, while 10 additional slots are filled via regional qualifiers and two via wildcards.

The Esports Nations Cup 2026 has introduced a $45 million ecosystem commitment for its inaugural event in Saudi Arabia. This funding is divided into a $20 million prize pool, a $20 million development fund, and $5 million in dedicated club incentives.

Tournament payouts are structured to provide an equal prize per player based on placement across all 16 titles, with team totals scaling according to roster size and including coaching staff. Furthermore, to support the organizations behind the talent, the ENC will award clubs a performance bonus equal to 40% of the individual prize for every player or coach who finishes in the top 16 of their respective game.

The Esports Nations Cup 2026 will feature a diverse competitive structure, hosting between 24 and 48 national teams for team-based titles and up to 128 players for solo competitions. To ensure competitive integrity and unique lineups, the EWCF has mandated that national squads must be composed of players from different professional organizations, strictly prohibiting full club rosters.

Qualification will be split equally between direct invites based on seasonal performance and open regional qualifiers, with all finalists guaranteed a minimum of three matches in Riyadh. Moving forward, the ENC will transition into a biennial rotating host city model, with further details on the 2028 venue and specific participation criteria expected in the coming months.

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