The Esports Nations Cup Has Been Postponed to November 2027
The 2026 Esports Nations Cup has been suspended until 2027. The Esports Foundation announced the delay on August 18, citing ongoing regional uncertainty. The inaugural competition was scheduled to take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, comprising over 100 national teams and featuring 16 different games, including League of Legends.
According to the Esports Foundation, this decision follows ongoing developments in the region and consultation with key stakeholders. Moving the event back a year aims to provide greater certainty and stability for the participating national teams while also ensuring the biennial tournament is delivered to the highest standards.
The foundation stressed that moving the Esports Nations Cup to 2027 does not change its commitment to the competition and the wider esports ecosystem. For example, the ENC Development Fund will remain in place despite the postponement, with the foundation continuing its development programs ahead of the now 2027 event. Additionally, the relationship with publishers and national team partners will also remain despite the extra year.
“The decision to postpone the Esports Nations Cup was not taken lightly,” said Esports Foundation CEO Ralf Reichert. Reichert also highlighted the positive response from the teams, publishers, players, and communities across the globe, highlighting the significant potential of the ENC. “We owe them an inaugural ENC delivered under the right conditions and at the level this idea deserves.”
This wasn’t the first major decision the foundation has had to make this year, with the 2026 Esports World Cup, originally scheduled to be held in Riyadh, moved to Paris amid the same regional uncertainty.
Despite the postponement to one of its latest flagship events, the Esports Foundation insists its ambition for the ENC remained unchanged. Moving the tournament back by an additional year will allow the organization to continue investing in national esports ecosystems while ensuring the tournament meets the high standards that fans expect — as well as LoL, Counter-Strike and Dota 2 will also be included, with the latter currently having The International 2026, which is reaching its latter stages.
The first Esports Nations Cup will now take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in November 2027.
Editor’s view
The postponement of the Esports Nations Cup is a mixed bag for a lot of people. Some believe this is the sign that the region, like with other major sporting franchises, is pulling back their funding, and this postponement is only delaying the inevitable. Saudi Arabia has started to significantly pull back on their funding globally from a sporting level, and I feel it’s only a matter of time before esports returns to a more grass roots level, without the venture capitalist money that has become so prominent. However, taking the Esports Foundation at their word, this year’s delay will only whet the appetite from fans, and the 2027 tournament will still be one that cannot be missed.
Image credit: Esports Nations Cup
Ben is the Lead Editor at Win.gg, bringing a decade of iGaming industry experience having worked for both the operator and affiliation sides. With a formal journalism background, he is responsible for ensuring that every piece of content that we publish is relevant, accurate and well-written. In his own time, he enjoys playing video games and especially enjoys Rockstar titles, considering Red Dead Redemption 2 the finest title ever made. He has also spent a lot of time playing GTA V over the years and is fascinated by how streaming is changing the landscape of the industry.
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