Esports Nations Cup postponed to November 2027 amid regional uncertainty

The Esports Foundation has postponed the inaugural Esports Nations Cup (ENC) from November 2026 to November 2027. The tournament was originally set to take place in Riyadh. The foundation said that it made the decision after assessing the wider regional situation and consulting with key stakeholders. It called the move the responsible choice to give national teams, publishers, partners and fans the certainty and stability they expect, given the tournament's international scale. The Esports Nations Cup brings together teams and stakeholders from more than 100 countries and territories. The foundation confirmed that Saudi Arabia remains fully capable of hosting events, and major sporting and entertainment events there will continue as planned. Ralf Reichert, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Esports Foundation, said the decision was not taken lightly. 'The response from National Team Partners, publishers, players and communities around the world has shown us how much potential this competition has,' he said. '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,' he added. The foundation confirmed all existing ENC Development Fund commitments to National Team Partners will stay in place. The Development Fund and related ecosystem programs will continue alongside ongoing work with publishers and National Team Partners. Over the coming weeks, the foundation will work with National Team Partners, publishers and other stakeholders to clarify the revised competition calendar, qualification pathways and other details tied to the new timeline.