Chess at Esports Nations Cup 2026 Qualifiers Complete, 82 Countries and Territories Represented

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (June 16, 2026) - The Esports Foundation (EF) today announced the completion of the online regional qualifiers for the Chess tournament at the Esports Nations Cup 2026 (ENC), the global nation-based esports competition set to debut in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from November 2-29, 2026.

A total of 128 players will compete in the Chess tournament at ENC 2026. 64 players from 64 countries and territories received direct invitations through official Champions Chess Tour (CCT) rankings at the end of May.

Now, 61 more players have earned their spot in the main event through online regional qualifiers, operated by Chess.com, across North America, South America, Africa, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Middle East/India/Central Asia, and East Asia/Southeast Asia/Oceania. An additional slot has gone to Amani Alazmi, representing Kuwait, who secured the Host Region Wildcard as the next highest-placing competitor from the host region.

To complete the line-up, two Wildcard Solidarity slots remain for underrepresented regions to compete on the world stage, which will be announced at the end of August once all ENC qualifiers have been completed.

With the qualifiers over, at least 82 countries and territories will be represented in Chess at ENC 2026.

Seven countries and territories that did not receive a direct invitation managed to secure two slots through their respective qualifiers available for solo titles. Jamaica, Paraguay, Singapore, South Africa, Tajikistan, Tunisia, and Turkmenistan all took the opportunity to qualify two Chess players for ENC.

10 countries and territories that did not receive a direct invitation managed to secure a single slot: Honduras, Mexico, El Salvador, Venezuela, Morocco, Nigeria, Algeria, Jordan, Australia, and New Zealand. These nations will now look to improve their standing in Chess, shine on the global stage, and compete against elite competition at the ENC.

44 players who successfully qualified through the online qualifiers will join an already invited player in representing their nation at the Chess tournament at ENC 2026. Christopher Yoo, a 19-year-old phenom and Grandmaster, will compete alongside the legendary Hikaru Nakamura for the United States. France will have two greats competing at ENC, with the accomplished Grandmaster Maxime Vachier-Lagrave qualifying and joining the sensational EWC 2025 grand finalist Alireza Firouzja. And competing for Norway alongside the best in the world, Magnus Carlsen, will be a 16-year-old prodigy whom he’s faced before, Havard Haug. Duos like these are symbolic of the evolution of Chess, with highly acclaimed veterans competing alongside young rising stars for glory and national pride.

Amani Alazmi, representing Kuwait, has secured the Host Region Wildcard slot as the next highest placing competitor from the host region, leaving two Wildcard Solidarity slots remaining for underrepresented regions to compete on the world stage, which will be announced at the end of August once all ENC qualifiers have completed.

The full list of qualified players and nations can be viewed directly on the Chess page of the ENC website.

The Chess tournament at ENC 2026 will begin on November 2 and conclude with the playoff final on November 8. The first stage will consist of all 128 players competing in a round-robin group stage, featuring 16 groups of eight players. The second stage will consist of 64 players competing in a single-elimination playoff bracket.

About the Esports Nations Cup

The Esports Nations Cup (ENC) is a biennial global esports competition created by the Esports Foundation (EF) that brings national pride to the world stage. Launching in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in 2026, the ENC will feature the world’s best players competing not for their clubs, but for their countries and territories, across a lineup of leading esports titles. Built in collaboration with game partners, clubs, and esports organizations, the ENC establishes the first recurring, large-scale platform for national teams in esports. Beyond competition, it aims to fuel fandom, inspire heroes, and provide sustainable pathways for nations, players, and partners to grow within the global esports ecosystem. esportsnationscup.com

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