Esports Nations Cup 2026: Format Explained

6 Jan

Adarsh J. Kumar

The Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) has unveiled the format of the inaugural edition of the Esports Nations Cup, scheduled for November 2026. The biennial esports tournament was announced in August 2025 after the conclusion of EWCF’s flagship event, the Esports World Cup. Now, the organization has given us a glimpse of the tournament’s format and qualification model, among other details.

ENC 2026 will feature national teams representing all major regions, including North America, South America, Europe, MENA, Africa, Asia, and SEA & Oceania. Unlike the traditional approach to tournaments, where teams compete in club-based esports, the Esports Nations Club will feature teams and individual players representing their home country.

Esports Nations Cup 2026 Format

Esports Nations Cup 2026

Scheduled to commence as a biennial event in Riyadh before adopting a rotating host-city model, ENC 2026 will be a month-long spectacle featuring 16 different game titles. The competition will include both team-based and solo-player events, developed in partnership with major studios, including EA, Ubisoft, Tencent, Krafton, SNK, and Chess.com.

The Esports Nations Cup Finals will feature 24-48 national teams per team-based title and 32-128 individuals per solo title. Additionally, to ensure balanced representation for the participating countries, each nation will send only one official squad per team event and up to two players per solo competition.

There is, however, an exception: some titles will permit multiple contenders from the same country to compete at earlier stages for the selection of official national representatives.

Esports Nations Cup 2026 Qualification Model

The Esports World Cup Foundation has confirmed that half the spots for all events, team-based and solo, will be filled by direct invitation. This will be based on the competitive performance of the respective country's players over the season. The remaining spots will be determined through open regional online qualifiers.

To ensure teams represent national merit rather than existing club structures, full club rosters are prohibited. Instead, national teams must be assembled anew from their top eligible players, paving the way for unique lineups and fresh storylines. Furthermore, all teams and players competing in the Finals event will get to play at least three matches.

We can expect further announcements regarding the 2026 Esports Nations Cup, including the schedule and game titles, in the coming weeks.

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Featured Image Credit: EWCF