The Operational Framework Behind Every National Team

National Team Partners

A National Team Partners is an organization mandated by the EWCF to represent their nation in the ENC. Think of them as the national organizing body for their country's or territory’s ENC participation.

Selected National Team Partners are responsible for:

• Organizing national representation (e.g. communication with media and government stakeholders, etc)
• Overseeing and supporting national team coaches and players (e.g. through bootcamps, additional staffing, and more)
• Planning and executing national team marketing campaigns as well as social media coverage
• Activating fans and content creators to build support for national teams
• Building partnerships with local organizations, brands, and media
• Developing the local esports ecosystem and player talent pathways

Each selected National Team Partners will nominate a National Team Manager, verified and approved by the EWCF. These roles act as a coordination and liaison function and don’t constitute diplomatic or governmental representation.

National Team Managers

A National Team Manager is the person who serves as the main point of contact between the EWCF and the national team. They're responsible for handling all operational aspects of the national team.

National Team Manager are responsible for:

• Selecting game coaches per title
• Solo player titles are excluded from game coach selection
• In some titles and nations the game publisher may opt-in to select the coach directly
• Making sure national roster selections by coaches happen by April 26, 2026 and stay in alignment with game publishers' requirements
• Officially representing their nation at ENC-related events and in media
• Supporting coordination with publishers, clubs, and players under the ENC framework
• Supporting ENC logistics and data collection for player travel, visas and scheduling

Proposed game coaches have to be submitted by April 7, 2026 for final confirmation by EWCF and the respective game publishers. (Updated from March 29)

Game Coaches

In every nation, the selected game coaches for each title will be responsible for the sporting aspects of the national team in their respective titles.

Game Coaches are responsible for:

• Building the national rosters, aligned with player eligibility guidelines (announced in January)
• Coaching the team in-game during official matches
• Organizing practice sessions
• Developing in-game strategies

Proposed rosters have to be submitted by April 26 for final confirmation by EWCF and the respective publishers for compliance with the guidelines by National Team Managers and EWCF before being locked in.

National Team Support for ENC 2026

Selected National Team Partners will receive an official ENC 2026 Participation License, that includes:

• Operational support from the EWCF
• Access to the US$20M ENC Development Fund
• Covered travel and accommodation for national teams, coaches and National Team Managers for the event
• An annual compensation for the National Team Managers of up to US$25,000, divided into a guaranteed US$5,000 service fee and up to $20,000 in incentive fees
• Defined rights to activate national commercial partnerships and / or media partners.

Supporting National Ecosystem Development

To support the long-term growth of nation-based esports, the EWCF will establish the ENC Development Fund, committing at least $20 million annually, beginning with ENC 2026. The Fund will operate as a commercial partnership, designed to ensure that national representation in esports is sustainable beyond a single event.

Funding will support year-round national team activity, including:

• travel and logistics for participation in the ENC, training programmes and bootcamps,
• community initiatives such as exhibition matches, showcase events, official watch parties, national team tours, and appearances at major gaming and sports events.
• staffing support, workspace and operational costs, and the development of national esports infrastructures to plan and operate these programs.

Investment will be directed towards initiatives that measurably strengthen athlete pathways, coaching standards, and partners’ ability to deliver consistent, repeatable national team programmes. Further details on scope, eligibility, and implementation will be shared with selected National Team Partners as part of the onboarding process.

National Mandate

Lead your country's or territory’s official ENC representation and help co-develop the global framework that will accelerate the growth of nation-based esports competition. You're not just participating, you're helping build the ecosystem.

Visibility & Access

Collaborate globally across the ENC ecosystem, working directly with:

• The EWCF leadership team
• Representatives from over 100 countries and territories
• Game publishers, professional clubs, and players
• Media and the wider esports community