Rocket League Joins the Esports Nations Cup 2026 Games Lineup

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (February 22, 2026) - The Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) today announced Rocket League as the latest game title out of the 16 to be featured in the inaugural Esports Nations Cup 2026 (ENC), set to debut in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from November 2 through 29, 2026. One of the world's biggest sports games, Rocket League combines cars and football into a winning formula perfect for adrenaline-fueled competition on the biggest stage.

Here’s all you need to know about Rocket League at ENC 2026:

SCHEDULE AND FORMAT

• Rocket League at ENC 2026 begins November 3, 2026 and concludes November 8, 2026.
• The first stage consists of 48 national teams, split into 8 groups of 6 teams each, competing in a round-robin format.
• The top two teams from each group will advance to a single-elimination playoff bracket.
• All group stage matches will be best-of-five, all playoff matches up to the grand final will be best-of-five, and the grand final will be best-of-seven.

RANKING SYSTEM AND QUALIFIER INFO

48 national teams will compete in the Rocket League event at ENC 2026:

• The top 24 teams will be directly invited based on the ENC Rocket League National Team Rankings
• 21 teams will qualify through regional qualifiers
• 3 teams will come from Wildcard slots

The Esports Nations Cup will determine its direct invites via the ENC Rocket League National Team Rankings, which takes into account regional and international Rocket League Championship Series (RLCS) 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 May 24, 2026.

The Rocket League regional qualifiers will be online and take place July 17-19. Qualifiers will be double-elimination brackets, hosted in each of the following regions:

• North America (3 slots)
• South America (3)
• Europe (3)
• Middle East (3)
• Africa (3)
• Asia (3)
• Southeast Asia + Oceania (3)

ROCKET LEAGUE AT THE ESPORTS WORLD CUP 2025

The tournament was charged with the energy of the home crowd, who were firmly behind Team Falcons (Mohammed Khalid “Trk511” Alotaibi, Saleh Abdullah “Rw9” Bakhashwin, Yazeed Abdullah “Kiileerrz” Bakhashwin) and Geekay Esports (Archie “Archie” Pickthall, Joseph “Joyo” Young, Ole “oaly.” van Doorn). Geekay’s fairytale run to their first major LAN final ultimately ended in defeat against Karmine Corp, but included a legendary 7-game semifinal overtime upset over Team Vitality. Karmine Corp’s Samy “dralii” Hajji was named MVP as the team (Axel “Vatira” Touret, Tristan “Atow.” Soyez) took home its second major title of the season and solidified its status as the dominant force in Rocket League. Team Falcons’ 3rd-place finish was vital in securing the overall Club Championship title at the Esports World Cup.

In total, 13 nations were represented across Rocket League 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]