Esports Nations Cup 2026 Adds PUBG MOBILE to the Games Lineup

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (February 25, 2026) - The Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) today announced PUBG MOBILE 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. The genre-defining battle royale is one of the greatest success stories in mobile esports, and has been enjoyed by millions of fans worldwide since launching globally in 2018.

SCHEDULE AND FORMAT

• The PUBG MOBILE tournament at ENC will begin on November 3, 2026, and will conclude with the Grand Final on November 8, 2026.
• The first stage will consist of 32 teams competing in a round-robin group stage featuring four groups of eight teams.
• The top four teams from each group will advance to the next stage. The second stage culminates in a 16-team Grand Final, where everyone will battle across 18 matches at most, using the Smash rule point system to determine the champion.

RANKING SYSTEM AND QUALIFIER INFO

32 teams will compete at the PUBG MOBILE event at ENC 2026

• 16 teams will receive direct invitations, segmented across two layers:
  ■ The top 12 teams will be directly invited based on the PUBG MOBILE National Team Ranking.
  ■ Special invites will be shared with 4 select teams
• The remaining 16 teams will be required to qualify through the remaining paths:
  ■ 14 teams will qualify through regional qualifiers.
  ■ 2 teams will come from Wildcard slots.

The Esports Nations Cup will determine its direct invites via the PUBG MOBILE National Team Ranking, which will take into account the 2025 PUBG MOBILE World Cup and Global Championship, as well as the 2026 PUBG MOBILE Global Open, awarding points to Clubs, with those points equally shared across all Club teammates who participated. The national ranking will then accumulate the points of the top four players on the submitted national roster. The cut-off date for PUBG MOBILE National Team Ranking is June 7, 2026.

The PUBG MOBILE regional qualifiers will take place July 10-12, 2026. Qualifiers will be double-elimination brackets, hosted in each of the following regions:

• North + Central America (2 slots)
• South America (1)
• Europe West (2)
• EECA (2)
• MENA (2)
• Central + Southern Africa (2)
• East + South Asia (1)
• SEA + Oceania (2)

PUBG MOBILE AT THE ESPORTS WORLD CUP

At the Esports World Cup 2025, the PUBG MOBILE World Cup was quickly turned on its head when Brazilian powerhouse and defending PUBG MOBILE World Cup champions, Alpha7 Esports, were shockingly eliminated from the Survival Stage. The sole representatives of Myanmar, Yangon Galacticos, took advantage of the opening, holding on to their lead through the Grand Finals and securing their biggest victory ever.

In total, 23 nations were represented at the PUBG MOBILE main event at EWC 2025.

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]