Esports Foundation delays Esports Nations Cup debut to November 2027

The Esports Foundation (EF) has postponed the inaugural Esports Nations Cup (ENC) from November 2026 to November 2027. The event is planned for Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and EF said the decision followed an assessment of the “wider regional situation” and consultation with stakeholders.

EF said the ENC is expected to involve national teams and stakeholders from more than 100 countries and territories, and that the scale of the event and uncertainty in the region drove the schedule change. The organisation added that “Saudi Arabia remains fully capable of hosting events, with major sporting and entertainment events continuing as planned.”

The postponement does not affect existing funding commitments, EF said. “All existing ENC Development Fund commitments to National Team Partners will remain in place,” the foundation said, adding that ecosystem development programs will continue while it works with publishers and partners on 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.”

EF said it will provide updates in the coming weeks on the revised competition calendar, qualification pathways and other implications of the new timeline.