Riyadh - Sharikat Mubasher: The Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF), the hosting entity of the Esports World Cup (EWC), announced the Esports Nations Cup (ENC), a landmark tournament where the best esports players in the world will compete and represent their countries.

The inaugural edition of the ENC will be co-developed with the publishers and video game companies Electronic Arts, Krafton, Tencent, and Ubisoft, the EWCF announced in a statement yesterday.

The partners will shape their game’s national ranking systems, qualification pathways, and event formats, ensuring the ENC resonates with their fans and meets the highest competition standards.

The ENC will be hosted every two years, providing a dependable structure for players, coaches, and esports organizations and confidence for publishers, clubs, and partners to invest in long-term national team programs.

Ralf Reichert, CEO of the EWCF, said: “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. It’s a stage to create heroes, inspire the next generation, and, together with our partners and stakeholders, build the national ecosystems that will accelerate the growth of esports worldwide.”

The tournament will feature national teams from major regions, including North America, South America, Europe, MENA, Africa, Asia, and SEA & Oceania, competing in both team-based and solo-player formats. All players will receive guaranteed prize money, with equal placement rewards across all games, ensuring fairness for players.

Building on the momentum of the EWC, ENC will debut in Riyadh in November 2026, before moving to a rotating host model, bringing national esports teams to fans and cultures worldwide.