ENC UFCEP

The Union Française des Clubs d'Esport Professionnels (UFCEP) officially announced today its withdrawal from the race to represent France at the Esports Nation Cup 2026, the very first nation-based global competition organized by the Esports World Cup Foundation, set to take place in Riyadh this November.

What happened? We offer a clear and straightforward breakdown of the situation, including recent statements from UFCEP spokesperson Arthur Perticoz.

Two bids, but one problem

To understand the situation, we need to rewind a few weeks. The EWCF had launched a global call for applications to designate, country by country, a "National Team Partner" (NTP) in other words, the entity responsible for assembling national teams, selecting players, and handling all logistics for the 16 games on the program.

In France, two organizations put themselves forward:

  • The UFCEP, backed by professional clubs (Vitality, Karmine Corp, Gentle Mates…), with Olympic medalist Matthieu Péché as head of delegation, and key figures such as Bertrand Amar and Matthieu Dallon, co-founders of N.E.O, leading the effort.
  • France Esports, the ecosystem's long-standing association, which submitted the candidacy of Sébastien "Ceb" Debs as National Team Manager, and which benefits from the support of the game publishers' union.

Two visions, two projects, and a standoff that took hold.

The imposed merger that changed everything

Faced with this dual candidacy, the EWCF attempted to mediate — for reasons unknown to us — by proposing a solution: merging the two entities into a single bid to represent France. On paper, the idea makes sense. In practice, it set everything ablaze.

The UFCEP categorically refused this proposal. According to the professional clubs, the discussions revealed deep disagreements over governance and selection procedures. The UFCEP's official statement refers to "conditions of association and governance that did not align with the vision held by the professional clubs," and an "impasse" that made pursuing the bid impossible.

Rather than forcing themselves into a structure that doesn't suit them, the clubs chose to withdraw.