Chess.com, MOONTON Games and SNK join the Esports Nations Cup as Official Publishers, alongside Founding Publishers and video game companies EA, Krafton, Tencent, and Ubisoft.
The Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) has announced three new official publishing partners for the inaugural Esports Nations Cup (ENC), set to take place in November 2026 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Joining as Official Publishers are Chess.com, MOONTON Games, and SNK, enhancing the tournament’s global reach and competitive structure. This landmark event aims to celebrate national pride by allowing players to represent their countries in a highly anticipated global competition.
The ENC is the first tournament of its kind to adopt a national team format on such a large scale. It will feature teams from various regions, including North America, South America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and Oceania, competing in both team-based and solo-player formats. The inclusion of these new publishers comes alongside established partners such as EA, Krafton, Tencent, and Ubisoft, who are instrumental in shaping the tournament’s foundational framework.
Ralf Reichert, CEO of the EWCF, emphasized the importance of collaboration with these publishers. “By partnering closely with publishers, we can make the Esports Nations Cup truly player-centric,” he stated. This partnership ensures that players have the opportunity to compete in the games that define their careers while representing their home countries.
The tournament will utilize a multi-layered qualification model that balances competitiveness and inclusivity. This model will combine global rankings, regional qualifiers, and wildcard entries to create a diverse and representative competitive stage for every game. The EWCF’s strategic approach aims to establish a reliable structure for players and esports organizations, fostering long-term investment in national team programs.
A New Frontier in Esports Competition
The Esports Nations Cup expands upon the success of the Esports World Cup, which is recognized as the world’s largest multi-title esports event. While the Esports World Cup brings together the best clubs, the ENC focuses on national identity and regional representation, offering a unique platform for esports teams to showcase their skills on an international stage.
Specifically designed to fuel fandom and inspire new heroes, the ENC aims to provide sustainable pathways for nations, players, and partners within the global esports ecosystem. By featuring a wide array of leading esports titles, the tournament aspires to engage millions of fans and elevate the competitive landscape.
As the ENC prepares for its debut, the EWCF is committed to refining the tournament’s structure and format through ongoing collaboration with all partners involved. Further details about the Esports Nations Cup will be made available in the coming weeks, with updates accessible through esportsnationscup.com and various social media platforms.
The establishment of the Esports Nations Cup represents a significant milestone in the evolution of esports, moving beyond club-level competition to embrace a more inclusive and nationally representative format. As anticipation builds for this innovative tournament, it promises to set a new standard for competitive gaming worldwide.
