This Monday, January 6, the
Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF), in charge of the
Esports Nations Cup, unveiled the competition format and qualification system for its inaugural event, scheduled for November 2026 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This tournament is set to be the
largest nations-based competition ever held in esports, far ahead of IESF or GEF events, which hold virtually no presence on the global esports stage.
16 games, but no names yet
While Saudi Arabia had previously announced partner publishers, the organization now confirms that the competition will feature 16 video games over four weeks, combining team and solo formats. For now, no games have been confirmed, but we can already start imagining certain titles. It should be noted that regarding these 16 disciplines, it has not been specified whether they will be mixed, or if some of them will be reserved for women, as the Esports World Cup already does with Mobile Legends.
The presence of Electronic Arts could imply the inclusion of EA Sports FC and Apex Legends, both already featured at the EWC, as well as PUBG with Krafton and Rainbow Six with Ubisoft. The same goes for Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, which is likely to be present through its publisher Moonton, along with Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves via SNK, and Chess.com, which joined the EWC in 2025.
Although Tencent is involved, nothing seems to confirm (or deny) the presence of Riot Games titles such as
League of Legends, VALORANT, Teamfight Tactics or 2XKO, even though the first three have been part of the Saudi event since 2024. The Chinese giant's participation does, however, possibly suggest the presence of
Honor of Kings and
PUBG Mobile, which are in its catalog and also at the EWC.
A format designed for global representation
For team titles, between 24 and 48 national selections will compete per game, while solo competitions will welcome 32 to 128 players depending on the title. Each nation will be represented by a single official team per game and up to two individual players. Half of the spots will be allocated through direct invitations, based on player performances from each country throughout the esports season. The other half will be accessible through open regional qualifiers.
Notably, national teams will have to be composed of players from different organizations. Full club rosters will not be allowed, thus ensuring unique compositions and avoiding major disparities in team synergy between national squads. Each team and player qualified for the final phase is already guaranteed to play at least three matches at the ENC, as stated in the press release.
The ENC will be held every two years, and after the inaugural edition in Riyadh, the event will adopt a rotating host city model, although the name of the next host country has not been revealed. Details regarding specific formats, the precise schedule and participation criteria will be announced soon according to the EWCF, alongside the opening of applications for national partners.
