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The Esports World Cup Foundation has just revealed something pretty massive for competitive gaming, the Esports Nations Cup (ENC). Think of it as esports’ version of the World Cup in football, but instead of club rivalries, it’s all about national pride.

The ENC will run every two years, kicking off in November 2026 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, before shifting to a rotating host system around the world. That means different countries will get the chance to welcome the biggest national esports teams on the planet.

Unlike the usual format we see at the Esports World Cup, where clubs take centre stage, the Nations Cup puts players in their country’s colours. Over 15 titles will be involved, featuring 1,000+ players across both team-based and solo competitions. Every major region will be represented, from North and South America to Europe, MENA, Africa, Asia, Southeast Asia, and Oceania.

The tournament is being co-developed with some heavy hitters in the industry: Electronic Arts, Krafton, Tencent, and Ubisoft. They’ll help shape things like national ranking systems, qualification pathways, and competitive formats to make sure each game feels authentic and fair for fans and players alike.

Qualifying won’t just be limited to the big names, either. The ENC will use a multi-tiered system mixing global rankings, regional qualifiers, and Wildcard entries – including solidarity spots – to ensure smaller regions and underdog nations also get their shot. To keep things fair across the board, all players will receive guaranteed prize money with equal rewards across every title.

Ralf Reichert, CEO of the Esports World Cup Foundation, summed it up perfectly:

“Nation versus nation competition is the ultimate expression of sport. The ENC makes this a reality for esports, giving every fan a flag to rally behind and every player the pride of representing their country.”

While the full game lineup hasn’t been announced yet, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see big names like Apex Legends, PUBG, Rainbow Six Siege, and Honor of Kings make the cut, considering the publishers already involved.

The Esports Nations Cup is shaping up to be more than just another tournament, it’s aiming to create heroes, inspire future generations, and grow national esports programmes across the globe. And with its debut just a year after the 2025 Esports World Cup in Riyadh, it looks like the esports calendar is about to get even busier.