Riyadh: The Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) has announced the launch of the Esports Nations Cup (ENC), a biennial tournament that will bring together the world’s top esports players to compete for their countries.

The new competition, set to debut in Riyadh in November 2026, will introduce national representation to the global esports stage for the first time at this scale. Unlike the Esports World Cup, which features clubs, the ENC will showcase national teams, blending professional competition with national pride.

“Nation versus nation competition is the ultimate expression of sport,” said Ralf Reichert, CEO of EWCF. “The ENC gives every fan a flag to rally behind and every player the pride of representing their country. It will create heroes, inspire the next generation, and accelerate the growth of esports ecosystems worldwide.”

The inaugural edition will be developed in partnership with leading publishers and game developers including Electronic Arts, Krafton, Tencent and Ubisoft, who will help shape national ranking systems, qualification pathways, and event formats for their respective titles.

Teams from North America, South America, Europe, MENA, Africa, Asia, and SEA & Oceania will compete across both team-based and solo formats. Qualification will include a mix of global rankings, regional qualifiers and wildcard entries, with guaranteed prize money and equal placement rewards for all players.

The tournament will be hosted every two years, rotating between countries after its first edition in Saudi Arabia. The announcement was made during the New Global Sport Conference in Riyadh, attended by more than 1,500 industry leaders from gaming, esports and traditional sport.