The Esports Foundation (EF) has officially launched the Road to Esports Nations Cup (ENC) 2026, a global qualification program that will determine the participants for the inaugural Esports Nations Cup, scheduled to take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from November 2 to 29, 2026.
The qualification ecosystem is expected to engage more than 100,000 players from over 150 countries and territories across hundreds of tournaments throughout the year. Designed to mirror the unique structures of different gaming ecosystems, the Road to ENC introduces a multi-format qualification system spanning 16 esports titles.
At the heart of the system is the ENC Rankings platform, which tracks player performances across major international competitions and converts those results into national rankings. These rankings will determine direct invitations to the ENC Finals while remaining teams and players will compete through regional and open qualifiers.
Nine team-based titles—including Dota 2, Honor of Kings, League of Legends, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, PUBG: Battlegrounds, PUBG MOBILE, Rainbow Six Siege, Rocket League, and VALORANT—will use national team rosters submitted by coaches to accumulate ranking points and secure qualification opportunities.
Meanwhile, Counter-Strike 2 and Apex Legends will rely on player-created rosters that compete through online qualifiers, while Street Fighter 6 will use an individual qualification format despite featuring team competition at the Finals. Solo-player titles such as Chess, EA SPORTS FC, Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves, and Trackmania will combine ranking-based invitations with open qualifiers, allowing players worldwide to compete for a spot at the championship.
According to Fabian Scheuermann, Chief Games Officer at the Esports Foundation, the qualification framework was designed to reflect how competitive gaming operates globally, combining national team selection, open qualifiers, and player-built rosters into a unified international competition structure.
The Esports Foundation has also introduced updates to qualification pathways for select titles, including Mobile Legends: Bang Bang and Rocket League, following reviews of latency, regional balance, and competitive conditions. The adjustments are intended to improve competitive integrity and ensure more consistent qualification standards across regions.
By integrating national esports organizations, publishers, coaches, and players into a single competitive ecosystem, the Road to ENC establishes a recurring global pathway for esports athletes seeking to represent their countries on the international stage.
