Esports Nations Cup 2026 Announces 16 Official Disciplines: Opportunities for Vietnam's National Team

Esports Foundation (EF) has announced the full list of 16 competition disciplines for Esports Nations Cup 2026 (ENC), a global esports tournament organized on a national-team model. The event is scheduled to take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from November 2 to November 29, 2026.

ENC 2026 is expected to involve more than 100,000 players competing through hundreds of qualifiers conducted across more than 100 countries and territories throughout 2026. Teams will vie for representation on the world stage.

ENC 2026 disciplines

The tournament will feature 16 disciplines reflecting the breadth of the global esports ecosystem:

• Apex Legends
• Chess
• Counter-Strike 2
• Dota 2
• EA SPORTS FC
• Fatal Fury
• Honor of Kings
• League of Legends
• Mobile Legends: Bang Bang
• PUBG: Battlegrounds
• PUBG MOBILE
• Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege
• Rocket League
• Street Fighter 6
• Trackmania
• VALORANT

Vietnam’s competitive momentum

Vietnam continues to demonstrate competitive capability on the global esports stage. The national team won the world championship at PUBG Nations Cup 2025, a milestone on the international stage. The article also notes that titles such as League of Legends continue to draw large followings and high engagement, with the 2025 World Championship recording more than 1.2 million concurrent views in Vietnam.

The inclusion of these disciplines in ENC 2026 is expected to create opportunities for Vietnamese players to compete at a high level and reinforce Vietnam’s presence in global esports.

EF’s rationale for the discipline mix

According to Fabian Scheuermann, Director of Game Content at Esports Foundation, the discipline list is intended to broaden reach rather than focus only on the biggest titles.

“No single title can attract the entire gaming community. Each discipline reaches different regions and player segments, and combining disciplines is a key factor that makes ENC an open arena,” Scheuermann said. He added that the same logic applies at the national level: some titles perform better in certain markets, while others have wider reach.

Through collaboration with National Partners, EF aims to create a shared, open playing field that supports talent and encourages communities to back their national teams.

Format and participation model

ENC introduces a national-team competition model into the global esports schedule in a structured, periodic format. By enabling countries and territories to form teams, develop talent pipelines, and participate in international competitions, ENC is positioned as a framework to scale participation and strengthen the global esports ecosystem.

Funding and prize structure

ENC is backed by a USD 45 million financial commitment, including a USD 20 million prize pool distributed directly to players and coaches across the 16 disciplines.

The prize distribution follows an equal ranking and compensation principle for players and staff, with the following amounts:

• USD 50,000 per champion
• USD 30,000 for runner-up
• USD 15,000 for third place

What ENC is

Esports Nations Cup (ENC) is a global esports competition with a national-team format, organized every two years by Esports Foundation (EF). Debuting in 2026 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, ENC brings together the world’s best players to represent their country or territory rather than compete for clubs.

Built through partnerships with game publishers, clubs, and esports organizations, ENC is described as the first large-scale, periodic platform dedicated to national teams in esports. Beyond competition, ENC aims to energize fan communities, inspire future generations of players, and create sustainable pathways for nations, players, and partners in the global esports ecosystem.