Source: Esports Foundation

To enhance global accessibility and fairness in international competition, the Esports Foundation has unveiled the comprehensive ranking system and qualifying program for the 'Esports Nations Cup 2026,' which will be held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, this November.

The 'Esports Nations Cup 2026' will take place from November 2 to 29. The Esports Foundation is introducing the 'ENC Ranking,' which calculates standings based on performance in major international tournaments, to grant direct qualification to top-ranked nations. Additionally, it will operate 'Team Builder,' an interactive platform where fans can build lineups and check the requirements for direct qualification.

The global qualifying program, 'Road to ENC,' is also set to begin in earnest. More than 100k players from over 150 countries and regions are expected to participate across 16 titles. For team-based games such as 'League of Legends,' 'VALORANT,' 'PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS,' 'PUBG MOBILE,' and 'Dota 2,' participants for the main event and regional qualifiers will be determined based on rosters and rankings. Individual titles, including 'EA SPORTS FC,' 'Chess,' 'Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves,' and 'Trackmania,' will feature a mix of ranking-based invitations and open qualifiers.

A wildcard slot system has also been established to increase national representation. The 'Solidarity Slot,' introduced to mitigate structural and regional barriers in esports, will apply to all titles except 'Counter-Strike 2' to encourage participation from underserved regions. Furthermore, 'Host Region Slots' for GCC member nations and 'Special Invites' for technical adjustments will also be implemented.