Esports Nations Cup 2026: National Team Partners and Managers Officially Announced
- Sagar Mankar
- 1 day ago
- 5 min read
The Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) has officially announced the National Team Partners (NTPs) and National Team Managers (NTMs) for the Esports Nations Cup 2026, following over 630 applications from 152 countries and territories.
The tournament is scheduled to run from November 2 to November 29, 2026, in Riyadh.
It is being billed as esports' answer to the Olympics, with countries competing across multiple game titles.
The event even includes some unexpected ones like Chess and Trackmania, which adds a quirky layer to the whole thing.
How the National Team Structure Works
Since ENC is built around national representation rather than traditional esports organizations, the structure looks a bit different from what fans are used to.
There are three ways a country can be represented:
NTP and NTM: A partner organization handles fan engagement and marketing, while a manager takes care of daily operations.
NTM Only: A single manager handles all coordination without organizational backing.
Regional Manager: For nations without an NTP or NTM, EWCF staff steps in directly. Players from those countries can still apply as a coach or team captain.
So far, 60 countries have confirmed National Team Partners, and another 40 nations are being run by sole National Team Managers.
The Big Names Backing National Teams
Some of the biggest organizations in esports have signed on to back their respective national teams, which says a lot about how seriously the industry is taking this event.
Brazil has one of the most stacked setups. The Aliança Brasileira de Esports is backed by FURIA, MIBR, Loud, Fluxo, paiN Gaming, and Red Canids.
The United States is not far behind. USA Esports has brought together 100 Thieves, Cloud9, TSM, NRG, Dignitas, FlyQuest, Spacestation Gaming, Misfits, M80, Ghost Gaming, and more. The country's National Team Manager is Daniel Clerke.
Spain's entry under Lastlap SL is backed by KOI, Team Heretics, GiantX, FC Barcelona Esports, and UCAM. Great Britain is represented by the British Esports Federation, with support from Fnatic, the Football Association, Scottish Esports, and Esports Wales.
Other notable setups include:
Finland: ENCE co-leads alongside the Finnish Esports Federation
Norway: Backed by HEROIC under the Skagerrak banner
Japan: Zeta Division, DFM, Crazy Raccoon, Reject, and Fennel are among the supporting organizations
China: JingYue leads with support from Bilibili Gaming, Tyloo, Lynn Vision Gaming, and Xtreme Gaming
UAE: Backed by Team Nigma and Abu Dhabi Gaming
Canada: Esport Canada is partnering with Overactive Media, the owners of Toronto Ultra and Movistar KOI
Netherlands: Hypersolid is backed by Team Liquid
Argentina: Cámara Argentina de Deportes Electrónicos (CADE) is supported by 9z, KRÜ, AGS, FiRe, ShindeN, and over 20 more organizations
France has not yet confirmed a National Team Partner. However, the country does have a Team Manager in place, and it is none other than former League of Legends support player Bora "YellOwStaR" Kim.
Full List of National Team Partners
Here is a complete look at every confirmed National Team Partner, their supporting organizations, and their respective managers:
Country | National Team Partner | Supported By | National Team Manager |
Argentina | Cámara Argentina de Deportes Electrónicos (CADE) | 9z, AGS, FiRe, KRÜ, ShindeN and 20+ more | Mariel Lluch |
Australia | Events Engine | Hayden Shiels | |
Austria | E-Sport Verband Österreich | Manuel Haselberger | |
Bangladesh | Bangladesh Youth Development and Electronic Sports Association (BYDESA) | Aga Rafsan | |
Brazil | Aliança Brasileira de Esports | W7M, FURIA, Loud, MIBR, paiN Gaming, Red Canids | Yuri Cerezo Uchiyama |
Brunei Darussalam | Esports Association of Brunei | Xiao Hao Yee | |
Canada | Esport Canada | Overactive Media / Toronto Ultra | Dawson Lovell |
Chile | Game Club | LEVIATAN | Tomás Mosqueira |
Chinese Taipei | Chinese Taipei Esports Association | Grace Chen | |
Croatia | Good Game Global | Nikola Stolnik | |
Czechia | Česká asociace esportu | Jiří Plevka | |
Denmark | GGDanmark | Andreas Elversøe | |
Dominican Republic | Federacion Dominicana de Deporte Electronico | Gabriel Garrido | |
Egypt | Egyptian Esports Federation | Mostafa Hassan | |
Finland | Assembly and ENCE | ENCE, Finnish Esports Federation (SEUL) | Eemeli Ikonen |
Germany | Esports Player Foundation | DOSB, ESBD, game e.V. | Christian Lenz |
Great Britain | British Esports Federation | Esports Wales, Fnatic, Scottish Esports, The Football Association, UKETC | Jeff Simpkins |
Hong Kong, China | Esports Association of Hong Kong, China | Chen Lung Shing | |
Hungary | Hungarian E-sports Federation | Kis Balázs | |
India | NODWIN Gaming Private Limited | Akhil Kavuturu | |
Indonesia | Pengurus Besar Esports Indonesia | Glorya Famiela | |
Israel | Israeli Esports Association | Gil Ronen | |
Italy | Italian Interactive Digital Entertainment Association (IIDEA) | DNSTY, NOVO Esports, Reply Totem, HBMLE, Outplayed, EKO Esports, Exeed, King Esports, PG Esports | Gabriele Catterin |
Japan | Japan Esports Union NESTA | Crazy Raccoon, DFM, Fennel, QT Dig, Reject, Riddle, Scarz, Varrel, Zeta Division | Kosuke Hiraiwa |
Jordan | Jordan Esports Federation | Mohammad Majali | |
Kazakhstan | Qazaq Cybersport Federation (QCF) | Kazbek Zhangaziyev | |
Kyrgyzstan | Esports Federation of Kyrgyzstan | Nurbek Abdygulov | |
Lebanon | Lebanese Esports Federation and Robotics | Ahmad Hamadani | |
Lithuania | Lithuanian Esports Federation (LEF) | Sarunas Tamulis | |
Malaysia | Malaysian Esports Federation | Amir Syafiq bin Abd Rashid | |
Mongolia | Mongolian Esports Association | Maral Manlai | |
Morocco | The Royal Moroccan Federation of Electronic Games | Saad Bassy | |
Myanmar | Myanmar Esports Federation (MESF) | Kyaw Htet Lin | |
Netherlands | Hypersolid | Team Liquid | Brittany Lattanzio |
New Zealand | New Zealand Esports Federation | Jonathan Jansen | |
Nigeria | Cade Esports | Shola Adenipebi | |
Norway | Skagerrak | HEROIC | Kevin Mobekk |
Oman | Omani Gaming and Esports Committee | Hamed al Jahwari | |
People's Republic of China | JingYue | All Gamers, Anyone's Legend, Talent Gaming, KuaiShow Gaming, Bilibili Gaming, Tyloo, Qin Jiu Club, Xtreme Gaming, Lynn Vision Gaming, Trace Esports | Xiang Shi |
Peru | Federacion Deportiva Peruana De Deportes Electronicos (FEDEPEDE) | Christian Roque | |
Philippines | Pilipinas E-sports Organization | Leo Andrew Escutin | |
Poland | Fantasyexpo | Adrian Błaszczyk | |
Portugal | Liga Portugal | Luna Esports, SAW | Armando Vale |
Republic of Korea | Korea Esports Association (KeSPA) | Hyucksoo (David) Shin | |
Romania | ROESF Association | Mihai Daniel Cotos | |
Saudi Arabia | Saudi Esports Federation | Abdallah Khalid Alnamlah | |
Senegal | Senegalese Federation of Electronic Sports and Associated Disciplines (FESSEDA) | El Hadji Mansour Jacques Sagna | |
Slovakia | Slovenská asociácia elektronických športov | Denis Uhrik | |
Slovenia | Slovenian Esports Federation | Rok Avbelj | |
Spain | Lastlap SL | KOI, GiantX, Team Heretics, FC Barcelona Esports, UCAM | David Alonso |
Sweden | Black Molly Entertainment (BME) | Robin Jedhammar | |
Switzerland | Shifters | Swiss Esports Federation (SeSF) | Marissa Duret |
Thailand | Thailand Esports Federation | Panupong Ongkhunarak | |
Tunisia | Tunisian Esports Federation | Mouhamed Ali Barbouchi | |
Türkiye | Türkiye Espor Federasyonu (TESFED) | Mert Tanriverdi | |
Ukraine | Ukrainian Esports Federation (UESF) | Mykyta Babych | |
United Arab Emirates | Team Nigma | Abu Dhabi Gaming | Ali Nedal Jerab |
United States of America | USA Esports | 100 Thieves, Dignitas, TSM, Spacestation Gaming, FlyQuest, Cloud9, NRG, Misfits, M80, Ghost Gaming and more | Daniel Clerke |
Uruguay | Asociación Uruguaya de Deportes Virtuales (AUDV) | Gastón García | |
Vietnam | Vietnam Recreational and Electronic Sports Association (VIRESA) | Cao (Celine) Thi Thu Phuong |
Countries with National Team Managers Only
The following 40 nations are moving forward without a full organizational partner. Each is being represented by a sole National Team Manager:
Azerbaijan: Rasad Fazil
Bahamas: Adam Hanna
Bahrain: Zainab AlTurabi
Belgium: Younes Lazaar
Bhutan: Pending Stakeholder Alignment
Bulgaria: Pavel Zarkov
Cameroon: Francline Fonderson
Colombia: Mario Agudelo
Costa Rica: Felipe Montoya
Côte d'Ivoire: Jean-Philippe N'Guessan
Cuba: Javier Vidal
Democratic Rep. of Timor-Leste: Camacho Ramos da Silva Pinto
Djibouti: Eleyeh I. Daher
France: Bora Kim
Georgia: Tsotne Chogovadze
Ghana: Ebenezer Kwesi Hayford
Greece: Anastasios Eleftheriadis
Guam: Ken San Nicolas
Guatemala: Pablo Melgar
Honduras: Rafael Urbina
Iceland: Bjarki Már Sigurðsson
Ireland: Ronan Monaghan
Jamaica: Andrew Johnson
Kenya: Shon Osimbo
Kuwait: Abdulmohsen Ibrahim Alnooh
Lao People's Democratic Republic: Somphachanh Sengsilavong
Latvia: Sandis Rainskis
Malawi: Robert Cheleuka
Mali: Mohamed Coulibaly
Mexico: Emmanuel Neyra
Pakistan: Danyal Arshad Chishty
Paraguay: Esteban Lindgren
Republic of Moldova: Vasile Gavrilita
Serbia: Milan Djukic
South Africa: Michele Brondani
Syrian Arab Republic: Omar Nakkaa
Tajikistan: Turaev Firdavs
Turkmenistan: Mekan Eyeberdiyev
Uzbekistan: Jaloliddin Khusanov
Zambia: Choolwe Elen Shabukali
What This Means for ENC 2026
The level of organizational backing behind this event is hard to ignore. With a combined $45 million Prize and Development Fund on the line, top players from around the world are expected to take this seriously. The involvement of major esports organizations across multiple continents signals that ENC is not just a side project. It has real weight behind it.
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