India, Jan. 9 -- Global esports is preparing for a shift from club dominance to country-led competition. The Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) has unveiled a formal national team representation framework for theEsports Nations Cup (ENC) 2026, setting the rules for how countries will participate in the first recurring, large-scale nation-based esports tournament. The ENC will debut in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in November 2026, and will be held every two years. Unlike existing tournaments where players compete for clubs, the ENC allows elite players to represent their countries, adding national identity to the global esports calendar.

To implement this structure, EWCF has opened applications for official National Team Partners worldwide, in...