Esports Nations Cup 2026: Every Game Title Confirmed So Far

Sagar Mankar
3 days ago
6 min read

The Esports Nations Cup 2026 is shaping up to be one of the biggest esports events of the year.

Set to take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from November 2 to 29, the inaugural edition of this nation-versus-nation competition will feature 16 game titles spread across four weeks of action.

The Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) has been rolling out title announcements steadily, and we now have a solid picture of what the lineup looks like.

ENC is essentially the replacement for the Esports Olympic Games, a joint venture between the International Olympic Committee and the EWCF that fell apart in 2025 over disagreements on governance. The ENC carries a similar vision but operates independently, backed by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF).

The EWCF has committed $45 million USD toward the event, with $20 million going directly to players and coaches as prize money, $5 million as club incentives, and another $20 million set aside for a development fund to help national teams with travel, logistics, and long-term growth.

One important rule to note: full club rosters are not allowed to represent national teams. Players are selected based on merit and citizenship, meaning the best eligible players from a country come together regardless of which club they play for.

Esports Nations Cup 2026 All Titles

Here are all the confirmed titles for Esports Nations Cup 2026 so far.

Mobile Legends: Bang Bang
Trackmania
Dota 2
Chess
FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves
Honor of Kings
Counter-Strike 2
EA Sports FC 26
PUBG: Battlegrounds
Rainbow Six Siege X
Apex Legends
VALORANT

Six more titles are yet to be announced at the time of writing. I will update the article accordingly once they are revealed.

Mobile Legends: Bang Bang

MLBB was the very first title confirmed for the ENC, announced by MOONTON Games as an early partner of the event.

Trackmania

Trackmania was the second title officially revealed, with publisher Ubisoft being one of the early committed partners of the ENC. Ubisoft's involvement also extends to Rainbow Six Siege, making them one of the more prominent publishing partners at the event.

Dota 2

Valve's beloved MOBA is one of the flagship titles at the ENC, and its tournament runs from November 2 to 8. According to the EWCF, the format is as follows:

32 national teams compete in total
Group stage: 4 groups of 8 teams, played in a round-robin format (best-of-one)
Top 4 from each group advance to playoffs
Playoffs: 16 teams in a single-elimination bracket (best-of-three)
Grand final: best-of-five

As for qualification, 16 teams receive direct invites based on the Dota 2 National Team Ranking, which considers Tier 1 Dota 2 competitions. Points are shared equally among club teammates who participated. The national ranking adds up points from the top five players on each submitted roster, with a cut-off date of June 7, 2026.

Another 14 teams qualify through regional online qualifiers running from June 16 to July 5, and two teams come from wildcard slots.

Chess

This one raised a few eyebrows when it was announced, but Chess is very much part of the ENC lineup, facilitated through a deal with Chess.com. The tournament runs from November 2 to 8. The format breaks down like this:

128 players compete in total
Group stage: 16 groups of 8 players, round-robin format (best-of-two)
Top 4 from each group advance
Playoffs: 64 players in a single-elimination bracket
Round of 64 and 32: best-of-two
Quarterfinals and beyond: best-of-four
Armageddon games used as tiebreakers
Time control: Rapid 10+0

Direct invites are based on official CCT rankings, limited to one player per nation, with a cut-off date of May 26. Regional qualifiers take place June 6 to 7 and June 13 to 14, with each qualifier featuring a Swiss stage followed by a double-elimination stage.

FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves

SNK Corporation's fighting game joins the lineup and runs from November 12 to 15. Per reports by the EWCF, the format is:

32 players compete in total
Group stage: 4 groups of 8 players
Top 4 from each group advance
Playoffs: 16 players in a single-elimination bracket
Group stage matches: best-of-seven
Playoff matches: best-of-nine

The top 16 players receive direct invites based on the SNK World Championship 2026 point rankings, with a cut-off date of June 28. Another 13 qualify through regional qualifiers held July 3 to 5, and three players come from wildcard slots.

It is worth noting that SNK Corporation is a wholly owned subsidiary of Saudi Arabia's PIF, making its inclusion in the ENC a fairly natural fit.

Honor of Kings

Tencent's popular mobile MOBA joins the competition with its tournament slated for November 24 to 29. According to the EWCF, the format is:

24 national teams compete in total
Group stage: 4 groups of 6 teams, round-robin format
Top 4 from each group advance
Playoffs: 16 teams in a single-elimination bracket

12 teams receive direct invites based on the ENC National Team Ranking, using points from the top five players per roster. The cut-off date is June 7. Nine teams qualify through regional online qualifiers held July 3 to 5, and three teams come from wildcard slots.

Counter-Strike 2

CS2 is one of the most anticipated titles on the roster. The tournament runs from November 10 to 15. As per the EWCF, here is how it plays out:

24 national teams compete in total
Group stage: 4 groups of 6 teams, round-robin format (best-of-one)
Top 4 from each group advance
Second stage: 16 teams in single-elimination bracket (best-of-one)
Playoff matches: best-of-three
Grand final: best-of-five

The qualification process for CS2 is notably detailed. A new CS2 National Team Ranking system, based on Valve Regional Standings (VRS), is used to seed teams. The cut-off date is June 1.

National Qualifiers are hosted across 96 countries and territories, with winners advancing to Regional Qualifiers that take place July 6 to 19. For the VRS rankings, CS2 at ENC 2026 is designated as a Tier 2 event.

EA Sports FC 26

EA's football title brings its own unique structure to the table. The competition runs from November 22 to 27 and features a solo player format rather than team-based play:

128 players compete in total
Group stage: 16 groups of 8 players (best-of-one)
Top 4 from each group advance
Playoffs: 64 players, all matches best-of-one
Grand final to determine the champion

64 players receive direct invites via the EA Sports FC Pro World Rankings, limited to one player per nation. The cut-off date is July 26.

Another 56 qualify through regional qualifiers running July 27 to August 2, and eight players come from wildcard slots.

PUBG: Battlegrounds

KRAFTON's battle royale makes its return to the international stage through the ENC. The PUBG tournament runs from November 11 to 15. According to the EWCF, the format works like this:

24 national teams compete in total
Group stage: 3 groups of 8 teams, 5 matches per group
Top 16 teams advance to the finals
Finals: 16 teams, up to 10 matches using the Smash Rule system

12 teams receive direct invites based on the PUBG National Team Ranking, which uses the KRAFTON PUBG Power Rankings as its foundation. Points are accumulated from the top four players on each roster, with a cut-off date of June 7.

Ten teams qualify through regional online qualifiers from July 10 to 12, and two teams come from wildcard slots.

Apex Legends

EA's battle royale joins the ENC with a large-scale format. The overall event runs from November 2 to 29. As per the EWCF's announcement, the structure is:

40 national teams compete in total
Group stage: 4 groups of 10 teams, round-robin with a 6-match series per group
Top 20 teams advance to the finals
Finals: 20 teams compete in a match point final format, where a team must earn enough points to activate match point and then win a game to be crowned champions

20 teams receive direct invites based on cumulative Apex Legends Global Series Championship Points, with a cut-off date of July 12. 18 teams qualify through regional online qualifiers, and two come from wildcard slots.

The inclusion of Apex Legends is closely tied to EA's ongoing acquisition by the PIF.

VALORANT

Riot Games' tactical shooter is one of the most high-profile additions to the ENC lineup. The VALORANT tournament runs from November 8 to 15. According to the EWCF, the format is:

32 national teams compete in total
Group stage: 4 groups of 8 teams, round-robin format (best-of-one)
Top 4 from each group advance
Playoffs: 16 teams in single-elimination bracket (best-of-three)
Grand final: best-of-five

16 teams receive direct invites through a new VALORANT National Team Rankings system, which pulls data from VCT regional and international events. Points are shared equally among club teammates, and the national ranking adds up points from the top five players on each submitted roster. The cut-off date is June 21, 2026.

Another 14 teams qualify through regional online qualifiers running from June 26 to 28, and two teams come from wildcard slots.

The Esports Nations Cup 2026 is clearly going big for its debut. With 16 titles, $45 million in total funding, and a four-week event window, the EWCF is making a strong statement about where it wants national esports to go. Six titles are still to be announced, so there is more to come. Keep an eye out for further updates as the event draws closer.