Inaugural Esports Nations Cup Postponed to November 2027

The inaugural Esports Nations Cup has been postponed to November 2027, moving the Riyadh tournament back by one year from its original November 2026 date.

The Esports Foundation said the decision followed an assessment of the wider regional situation and consultations with key stakeholders, with the revised timeline intended to provide greater certainty for national teams, publishers, partners and fans.

The organisation said existing Development Fund commitments to National Team Partners will remain in place, while related ecosystem development programmes will continue ahead of the rescheduled competition.

“The decision to postpone the Esports Nations Cup was not taken lightly,” said Ralf Reichert, CEO of the Esports Foundation. “We owe them an inaugural ENC delivered under the right conditions and at the level this idea deserves.”

More than 100 countries and territories across every continent have secured official partner status for the competition, which is designed to bring together leading players across multiple game titles under national teams.

The Esports Foundation said it will now work with publishers, National Team Partners and other stakeholders to revise the competition calendar, qualification pathways and other elements affected by the new date.

The Esports Nations Cup is intended to complement the existing international esports calendar while creating clearer pathways for players and supporting the development of national esports ecosystems.