112 nationsRiyadh, Saudi Arabia
Search
The Esports Nations Cup (ENC) is a multi-game, country-based esports series hosted by the Esports World Cup Foundation. The 2026 edition is the first of its kind — an expanded format from the Esports World Cup where players represent their country directly instead of clubs. For League of Legends, that means a flag, five players, and millions watching. LEC rivals unite under one banner. LCK legends join forces for Korea. 112+ nations, nine days, one stage in Riyadh.
Date
2026
Location
Riyadh
Saudi Arabia
Nations
112
competing
Prize Pool
$1.5M
USD
Main Event
16 direct invites based on placements at official Riot Games competitions — top 8 bypass Play-In and go straight to Group Stage. 14 qualifier spots across seven regions (two per region). 2 wildcards complete the 32-nation field.
Each nation appoints a coach who selects five starters and optional subs. Players must hold citizenship and meet Riot residency rules.
No boot camps, no months of synergy — coaches build chemistry in days with rosters that have never scrimmed. The result? The most creative, unpredictable LoL of the year.
Nations usually invisible at Worlds — Nordics, Eastern Europe, LATAM, SEA — suddenly field lineups stacked with world-class talent. Bold strategies thrive when there's no time to over-prepare.
The ENC is organized by the Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) as a companion series to the Esports World Cup. While the EWC features club-based competition, the ENC shifts the spotlight to nations — same stage, different pride.
Some details — especially final seeding and wildcard selections — may still change as organizers finalize the format. Rosters are based on official announcements and may be updated. Community-maintained by RFT — not affiliated with Riot Games, the Esports World Cup Foundation, or ESL FACEIT Group.
The Esports Nations Cup has unveiled the sixteen national teams that will receive direct invitations to the…
The League of Legends regional qualifiers for the Esports Nations Cup (ENC) 2026 begin on June 19th, with…
The Esports Foundation has unveiled the ENC Team Rankings and the interactive Team Builder platform , giving…
