Esports Nations Cup 2026: Full schedule and qualified entries

The Esports Nations Cup 2026 will take place in Riyadh from Nov. 2–29. The Esports World Cup Foundation, working with game publishers, published event dates, team and player quotas and prize-money allocations for the inaugural country-based tournament series. The event is backed by a $20 million prize fund.

Events cover both team and individual competition across multiple gaming titles. Dota 2 will run Nov. 2–8 with 32 national teams and a $1.5 million prize pool. Chess is scheduled Nov. 2–8 with 128 national players and $600,000 in prizes. Rocket League runs Nov. 2–8 with 48 national teams and $1.32 million. PUBG Mobile is set for Nov. 3–8 with 32 teams and $1.32 million.

Valorant will take place Nov. 8–15 with 32 teams and $1.5 million. Counter-Strike 2 runs Nov. 10–15 with 24 teams and $1.32 million. PUBG: Battlegrounds is scheduled for Nov. 11–15 with 24 teams and $1.12 million. Fighting and racing events include Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves (Nov. 12–15, 32 national players, $250,000), Street Fighter 6 (Nov. 18–22, 24 teams, $880,000) and Trackmania (Nov. 19–22, 32 players, $250,000). EA Sports FC will feature 128 national players Nov. 17–22 with $600,000 in prizes. Rainbow Six Siege is set for Nov. 18–22 with 24 teams and $1.32 million. Honor of Kings runs Nov. 24–29 with 24 teams and $1.32 million. Organizers also listed a 32-team event Nov. 23–29 with a $1.5 million purse and a 40-team event Nov. 26–29 with $1.2 million.

Organizers have already published confirmed national entries in several competitions. Rainbow Six Siege lists Brazil, France, the United States, Great Britain, Sweden, Indonesia, China, Australia, Germany, New Zealand, Poland and Portugal among its confirmed teams. Rocket League’s announced field includes France, Saudi Arabia, the United States, South Africa, Brazil, Australia, Spain, the Netherlands, Great Britain, Mexico, Germany, Belgium, Japan, Canada, Singapore, Chile, Malaysia, New Zealand, Kuwait, Morocco, Denmark, Argentina, Finland and Pakistan.

The chess field published by organizers includes numerous titled players entered under national banners. Names on the list include Magnus Carlsen, Alireza Firouzja, Jan-Krzysztof Duda, Hikaru Nakamura, Ian Nepomniachtchi, Nihal Sarin, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Vincent Keymer, Yu Yangyi, Alexandra Kosteniuk and David Navara, among others.

Organizers noted many team and player slots remain listed as TBD while qualification events and national selection processes conclude. The foundation said it will update published lists as federations and publishers confirm final rosters. Additional ENC announcements include hundreds of coaching staff appointments drawn from more than 90 esports organizations and an early report that Mexico intends to include a female player in its national squad.

The tournament will run across multiple venues in Riyadh over the four-week period. Organizers asked fans and national federations to monitor official channels for roster updates, qualification results and final match schedules.