Esports Nations Cup 2026 Adds League of Legends to the Games Lineup

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (February 23, 2026) - The Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) today announced League of Legends as the latest of 16 titles that national teams and players will compete in at the inaugural Esports Nations Cup 2026 (ENC), set to debut in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from November 2 through 29, 2026. 32 nations will battle it out in total, with a three stage competition featuring play-ins, a group stage and the playoff bracket bringing a massive week of national team action.

Here’s everything you need to know about League of Legends at ENC 2026:

SCHEDULE AND FORMAT

• The League of Legends tournament at ENC will begin on November 21, 2026, and will conclude with the Grand Finals on November 29, 2026.
• The play-ins will consist of 24 teams competing in a double round robin group stage, featuring four groups of six teams. Matches will be best-of-one.
• The top two teams from each group will advance to the group stage.
• The Group Stage will consist of 16 teams, including eight who are seeded directly into this stage of the competition. Teams will compete in a round robin group stage, featuring four groups of four teams. Matches will be best-of-three.
• The top two teams from each group will advance to the playoffs.
• The playoffs will consist of eight teams competing in a single-elimination bracket. Matches will be best-of-three, while the Grand Final will be best-of-five.

RANKING SYSTEM AND QUALIFIER INFO

32 national teams will compete at the League of Legends event at ENC 2026:

• 16 teams will be invited to the competition based on a newly developed ENC national team ranking
  ■ The top 8 teams from the ranking will be directly invited to the group stage while places 9-16 will receive a slot in the play-in stage
• 14 teams will be able to qualify through regional online qualifiers
• 2 teams will come from Wildcard slots

The Esports Nations Cup will determine its direct invites via a newly developed ENC national team ranking considering global and regional LoL competitions. Clubs will be ranked based on placements at official Riot Games competitions, with those points equally shared across all Club teammates who participated. The national ranking will then accumulate the points of the top three players on the submitted national roster. The cut-off date for the national ranking is June 14, 2026.

The League of Legends online qualifier will take place between June 19-21. Qualifiers will feature double elimination brackets. The best performing roster per nation will qualify for ENC, until the regional slot allocation is reached. Qualifiers will run in the following regions:

• North America (2 slots)
• South America (2)
• Europe West (2)
• Europe East (2)
• Southeast Asia + Oceania (2)
• Asia (2)
• Middle East + Africa (2)

LEAGUE OF LEGENDS AT THE ESPORTS WORLD CUP

League of Legends at the 2025 Esports World Cup provided one of the closest grand finals of the entire event, as South Korean side Gen.G faced off against Chinese team AG.AL International. The Gen.G took a dominant 2-0 lead in the BO5 final, but AG.AL then bounced back to even it up 2-2 in an impressive comeback. The decisive final game saw Gen.G step up and take one of the more dominant victories of the series, giving them the win. Having won the League of Legends Mid-Season Invitational just a week before, they became the first team to win two major LoL events in the space of a week.

Additional information about the Esports Nations Cup will be released in the coming weeks. To stay up to date, visit esportsnationscup.com, and follow ENC on X, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, and follow the Esports World Cup Foundation on LinkedIn.

About the Esports Nations Cup

The Esports Nations Cup (ENC) is a biennial global esports competition created by the Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) 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

About Esports World Cup Foundation

The Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) is a non-profit organization based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, dedicated to advancing and professionalizing the global esports industry. Through the annual Esports World Cup (EWC) and the biennial Esports Nations Cup (ENC), EWCF brings together the world’s top players, leading clubs, and millions of fans for the biggest stages in competitive gaming. Beyond hosting tournaments, the Foundation works year-round to grow the esports ecosystem, support talent development, and create lasting opportunities for players, teams, and partners worldwide.

Esports Nations Cup media contact:
[email protected]