The Esports Foundation says the one-year delay is intended to provide greater certainty and stability for national teams, publishers, partners, and fans.
The Esports Foundation (EF) has postponed the inaugural Esports Nations Cup (ENC) in Riyadh from November 2026 to November 2027 following an ongoing assessment of the wider regional situation and consultation with key stakeholders.
Given the international scale of the competition and the uncertainty created by the wider regional situation, EF said moving the event to November 2027 is intended to provide greater certainty and stability for National Teams, publishers, partners, and fans. The organization added that Saudi Arabia remains capable of hosting major sporting and entertainment events, which continue as planned.
Development commitments remain in place
The postponement does not change EF’s commitment to the Esports Nations Cup or to the national esports ecosystems already being built around it. Existing ENC Development Fund commitments to National Team Partners will remain in place, while related ecosystem development programs will continue.
EF said it will also continue working with publishers, National Team Partners, and other stakeholders as it transitions toward the inaugural competition in 2027. The organization plans to work directly with partners on the implications of the revised timeline.
“The decision to postpone the Esports Nations Cup was not taken lightly,” said Ralf Reichert, CEO of the Esports Foundation. “The response from National Team Partners, publishers, players and communities around the world has shown us how much potential this competition has.”
“We owe them an inaugural ENC delivered under the right conditions and at the level this idea deserves. Hosting the tournament in Riyadh next year does not change our commitment. We will continue investing in our National Team Partners, working with publishers and building the national ecosystems already taking shape around the competition. The work continues, and our ambition for ENC remains unchanged.”
More than 100 countries and territories involved
According to EF, more than 100 countries and territories across every continent have already secured official partner status for the Esports Nations Cup. The competition is designed to bring together leading players representing their countries across multiple game titles.
ENC is intended to complement the existing esports ecosystem by creating new pathways for athletes, strengthening national esports development, and building new forms of fandom around national pride and international competition.
Over the coming weeks, EF said it will continue working with National Team Partners, publishers, and other stakeholders to provide further clarity on the revised competition calendar, qualification pathways, and other implications of the new timeline.
More information is available through the Esports Nations Cup website and the Esports Foundation’s LinkedIn page.