Esports Nations Cup 2026: VALORANT coaches selection

The Esports Nations Cup is an event set to take place in Saudi Arabia from November 2 to 29. Scheduled in Riyadh, the country’s capital, the competition will bring together thousands of players from around a hundred countries across nearly 16 games, making it the largest national team tournament in esports history. VALORANT will be part of the event, with its final tournament held during the second week, from November 8 to 15. A total of 32 teams from around the world will compete for a $1,500,000 prize pool.

As such, the Esports Foundation, which oversees both the ENC and the Esports World Cup, has appointed national managers in nearly a hundred countries worldwide to select coaches across all titles, including VALORANT, and together build a national roster to represent their country. While a coach may have a different nationality from the team they lead, this is not possible for the five players and up to two substitutes per roster. It is also worth noting that no more than three members of a team, including substitutes, can come from the same club.

As explained above, only 32 nations will travel to Saudi Arabia to compete in the final event. In terms of format, 16 of them will be directly qualified to play on site through invitations issued by the organizers, based on the results of national representatives in VALORANT esports leagues and competitions. Two additional teams will be able to attend via wildcards, although the details are not yet known. The remaining 14 spots will be allocated through seven continental qualifiers, each granting two places.

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