Esports Nations Cup 2026 Welcomes VALORANT to the Games Lineup

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (February 20, 2026) - The Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) today announced VALORANT 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, in November. The topic of “best region” has been a foundational discussion of the competitive community since the game’s inception, and that question might be answered later this year, when 32 national teams, each comprising the best five VALORANT players from each nation, will compete across a group stage and playoffs, culminating in a best-of-five grand final series to determine the inaugural winner.

Here’s everything you need to know about VALORANT at ENC 2026:

SCHEDULE AND FORMAT

• The VALORANT tournament at ENC will begin on November 8, 2026, and will conclude with the playoff final on November 15, 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 a 16-team single-elimination playoff bracket.
• All group stage matches will be best-of-one. All playoff matches (excluding the grand final) will be best-of-three. Finally, the grand final will be played in a best-of-five.

RANKING SYSTEM AND QUALIFIER INFO

32 national teams will compete at the VALORANT event at ENC 2026:

• The top 16 teams will be directly invited based on a newly created VALORANT National Team Rankings
• 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 the newly created VALORANT National Team Rankings, which takes into account regional and international VALORANT Champions Tour competitions, with those points equally shared across all Club teammates who participated. The national ranking will then accumulate the points of the top five players on the submitted national roster. The cut-off date for the national ranking is June 21, 2026.

The VALORANT regional qualifiers will take place June 26-28. Qualifiers will be double-elimination brackets, hosted in each of the following regions:

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

VALORANT AT THE ESPORTS WORLD CUP

VALORANT made its official EWC debut in 2025, bringing the exciting hero-dominated tactical shooter to a new international stage. Following the conclusion of VCT Masters Toronto, where Paper Rex (Southeast Asia) finally claimed that elusive international title, another team broke their own curse at EWC. Team Heretics (Europe), coming off multiple second place finishes including in the grand finals of Champions 2024, finally captured gold in the most unforgettable fashion: recovering from a dismal 0-2 start in the grand final with three straight narrow map wins to defeat Fnatic (Europe) and become the first VALORANT at EWC 2025 champions.

In total, 22 nations were represented at the VALORANT 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]