The road to ENC 2026 is officially underway. Following over 630 applications from 152 countries and territories, the EWCF has announced its National Team Partners (NTPs), and National Team Managers (NTMs) that will build the national rosters for each country ahead of the November finals in Riyadh.
How ENC 2026’s National Teams are structured
Given its nationality-focused participation system, the Esports Nations Cup will rely on National Teams instead of classic Esports organization directly. These National Teams can be represented by National Team Managers, often supported by National Team Partners. For some nations, where the EWCF has not announced a NTP or NTM, the organization’s staff will directly manage the nation’s entry into the event.
Related—Esports Nations Cup to feature 16 games and up to 48 nations
- NTP & NTM – A partner org handles fan engagement and marketing; a manager runs daily operations.
- NTM Only – A single manager covers all coordination, without organization support.
- Regional Manager – Nations without an NTP or NTM are covered by EWCF staff. Players can still apply directly as a coach or team captain.
The biggest orgs backing ENC 2026 national teams
The entries with organizational backing show just how seriously the traditional esports ecosystem is treating ENC. Here’s a breakdown of the most notable setups by region.
Americas
- Argentina: 9z, KRÜ, AGS, FiRe, ShindeN, and 20+ more orgs (NTP: CADE)
- Brazil: FURIA, MIBR, Loud, Fluxo, paiN Gaming, and Red Canids (NTP: Aliança Brasileira de Esports)
- Canada: Overactive Media / Toronto Ultra (NTP: Esport Canada)
- Chile: Leviatan (NTP: Game Club)
- U.S.: 100 Thieves, Cloud9, TSM, NRG, Dignitas, FlyQuest, Spacestation Gaming, and more (NTP: USA Esports)
Europe
- Finland: ENCE and the Finnish Esports Federation/SEUL (NTP: Assembly & ENCE)
- Great Britain: Fnatic, the Football Association, Scottish Esports, and Esports Wales (NTP: British Esports Federation)
- Netherlands: Team Liquid (NTP: Hypersolid)
- Norway: Heroic (NTP: Skagerrak)
- Portugal: Luna Esports and SAW (NTP: Liga Portugal)
- Spain: KOI, Team Heretics, GiantX, FC Barcelona Esports, and UCAM (NTP: Lastlap SL)
Asia-Pacific
- China: Bilibili Gaming, Tyloo, Lynn Vision Gaming, Xtreme Gaming, and more (NTP: JingYue)
- Japan: Zeta Division, DFM, Crazy Raccoon, Reject, Fennel, and more (NTP: Japan Esports Union)
- Philippines: (NTP: Pilipinas E-sports Organization)
- South Korea: (NTP: KeSPA)
Middle East & Africa
- Egypt: (NTP: Egyptian Esports Federation)
- Saudi Arabia: (NTP: Saudi Esports Federation)
- U.A.E.: Team Nigma and Abu Dhabi Gaming (NTP: Team Nigma)
All in all, the substantial organizational backing, combined with the $45M Prize & Development Fund, should ensure that many of each game’s top players take part in the competition.
| Country/Territory | Setup | National Team Partner | Org Support | Manager |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Argentina | NTP & NTM | Cámara Argentina de Deportes Electrónicos (CADE) | 9z, AGS, FiRe, KRÜ, ShindeN, and 20+ more | Mariel Lluch |
| Australia | NTP & NTM | Events Engine | — | Hayden Shiels |
| Austria | NTP & NTM | E-Sport Verband Österreich | — | Manuel Haselberger |
| Bangladesh | NTP & NTM | Bangladesh Youth Development and Electronic Sports Association (BYDESA) | — | Aga Rafsan |
| Brazil | NTP & NTM | Aliança Brasileira de Esports | Fluxo W7M, FURIA, Loud, MIBR, paiN Gaming, Red Canids | Yuri Cerezo Uchiyama |
| Brunei Darussalam | NTP & NTM | Esports Association of Brunei | — | Xiao Hao Yee |
| Canada | NTP & NTM | Esport Canada | Overactive Media / Toronto Ultra | Dawson Lovell |
| Chile | NTP & NTM | Game Club | LEVIATAN | Tomás Mosqueira |
| Chinese Taipei | NTP & NTM | Chinese Taipei Esports Association | — | Grace Chen |
| Croatia | NTP & NTM | Good Game Global | — | Nikola Stolnik |
| Czechia | NTP & NTM | Česká asociace esportu | — | Jiří Plevka |
| Denmark | NTP & NTM | GGDanmark | — | Andreas Elversøe |
| Dominican Republic | NTP & NTM | Federacion Dominicana de Deporte Electronico | — | Gabriel Garrido |
| Egypt | NTP & NTM | Egyptian Esports Federation | — | Mostafa Hassan |
| Finland | NTP & NTM | Assembly & ENCE | ENCE, Finnish Esports Federation (SEUL) | Eemeli Ikonen |
| Germany | NTP & NTM | Esports Player Foundation | DOSB, ESBD, game e.V. | Christian Lenz |
| Great Britain | NTP & NTM | British Esports Federation | Esports Wales, Fnatic, Scottish Esports, The Football Association, UKETC (UK Esports Teams Committee) | Jeff Simpkins |
| Hong Kong, China | NTP & NTM | Esports Association of Hong Kong, China | — | Chen Lung Shing |
| Hungary | NTP & NTM | Hungarian E-sports Federation | — | Kis Balázs |
| India | NTP & NTM | NODWIN Gaming Private Limited | — | Akhil Kavuturu |
| Indonesia | NTP & NTM | Pengurus Besar Esports Indonesia | — | Glorya Famiela |
| Israel | NTP & NTM | Israeli Esports Association | — | Gil Ronen |
| Italy | NTP & NTM | Italian Interactive Digital Entertainment Association (IIDEA) | DNSTY, NOVO Esports, Reply Totem, HBMLE, Outplayed, EKO Esports, Exeed, King Esports, PG Esports | Gabriele Catterin |
| Japan | NTP & NTM | Japan Esports Union | Crazy Racoon, DFM, Fennel, QT Dig, Reject, Riddle, Scarz, Varrel, Zeta Division (via NESTA) | Kosuke Hiraiwa |
| Jordan | NTP & NTM | Jordan Esports Federation | — | Mohammad Majali |
| Kazakhstan | NTP & NTM | Qazaq Cybersport Federation (QCF) | — | Kazbek Zhangaziyev |
| Kyrgyzstan | NTP & NTM | Esports Federation of Kyrgyzstan | — | Nurbek Abdygulov |
| Lebanon | NTP & NTM | Lebanese Esports Federation and Robotics | — | Ahmad Hamadani |
| Lithuania | NTP & NTM | Lithuanian Esports Federation (LEF) | — | Sarunas Tamulis |
| Malaysia | NTP & NTM | Malaysian Esports Federation | — | Amir Syafiq bin Abd Rashid |
| Mongolia | NTP & NTM | Mongolian Esports Association | — | Maral Manlai |
| Morocco | NTP & NTM | The Royal Moroccan Federation of Electronic Games | — | Saad Bassy |
| Myanmar | NTP & NTM | Myanmar Esports Federation (MESF) | — | Kyaw Htet Lin |
| Netherlands | NTP & NTM | Hypersolid | Team Liquid | Brittany Lattanzio |
| New Zealand | NTP & NTM | New Zealand Esports Federation | — | Jonathan Jansen |
| Nigeria | NTP & NTM | Cade Esports | — | Shola Adenipebi |
| Norway | NTP & NTM | Skagerrak | Heroic | Kevin Mobekk |
| Oman | NTP & NTM | Omani Gaming and Esports Committee | — | Hamed al Jahwari |
| People’s Republic of China | NTP & NTM | JingYue | All Gamers, Anyone’s Legend, Bilibili Gaming, KuaiShow Gaming, Lynn Vision Gaming, Qing Jiu, Talent Gaming, Trace Esports, Tyloo, Xtreme Gaming | Xiang Shi |
| Peru | NTP & NTM | Federacion Deportiva Peruana De Deportes Electronicos (FEDEPEDE) | — | Christian Roque |
| Philippines | NTP & NTM | Pilipinas E-sports Organization | — | Leo Andrew Escutin |
| Poland | NTP & NTM | Fantasyexpo | — | Adrian Błaszczyk |
| Portugal | NTP & NTM | Liga Portugal | Luna Esports, SAW | Armando Vale |
| Republic of Korea | NTP & NTM | Korea Esports Association (KeSPA) | — | Hyucksoo (David) Shin |
| Romania | NTP & NTM | ROESF Association | — | Mihai Daniel Cotos |
| Saudi Arabia | NTP & NTM | Saudi Esports Federation | — | Abdallah Khalid Alnamlah |
| Senegal | NTP & NTM | Senegalese Federation of Electronic Sports and Associated Disciplines (FESSEDA) | — | El Hadji Mansour Jacques Sagna |
| Slovakia | NTP & NTM | Slovenská asociácia elektronických športov | — | Denis Uhrik |
| Slovenia | NTP & NTM | Slovenian Esports Federation | — | Rok Avbelj |
| Spain | NTP & NTM | Lastlap SL | FC Barcelona Esports, GiantX, KOI, Team Heretics, UCAM | David Alonso |
| Sweden | NTP & NTM | Black Molly Entertainment (BME) | — | Robin Jedhammar |
| Switzerland | NTP & NTM | Shifters | Swiss Esports Federation (SeSF) | Marissa Duret |
| Thailand | NTP & NTM | Thailand Esports Federation | — | Panupong Ongkhunarak |
| Tunisia | NTP & NTM | Tunisian Esports Federation | — | Mouhamed Ali Barbouchi |
| Türkiye | NTP & NTM | Türkiye Espor Federasyonu (TESFED) | — | Mert Tanriverdi |
| Ukraine | NTP & NTM | Ukrainian Esports Federation (UESF) | — | Mykyta Babych |
| United Arab Emirates | NTP & NTM | Team Nigma | Abu Dhabi Gaming | Ali Nedal Jerab |
| United States of America | NTP & NTM | USA Esports | 100 Thieves, Cloud9, Dignitas, FlyQuest, Ghost Gaming, M80, Misfits, NRG, Spacestation Gaming, TSM, and more | Daniel Clerke |
| Uruguay | NTP & NTM | Asociación Uruguaya de Deportes Virtuales (AUDV) | — | Gastón García |
| Vietnam | NTP & NTM | Vietnam Recreational and Electronic Sports Association (VIRESA) | — | Cao (Celine) Thi Thu Phuong |
| Azerbaijan | NTM only | — | — | Rasad Fazil |
| Bahamas | NTM only | — | — | Adam Hanna |
| Bahrain | NTM only | — | — | Zainab AlTurabi |
| Belgium | NTM only | — | — | Younes Lazaar |
| Bhutan | NTM only | — | — | Pending stakeholder alignment |
| Bulgaria | NTM only | — | — | Pavel Zarkov |
| Cameroon | NTM only | — | — | Francline Fonderson |
| Colombia | NTM only | — | — | Mario Agudelo |
| Costa Rica | NTM only | — | — | Felipe Montoya |
| Côte d’Ivoire | NTM only | — | — | Jean-Philippe N’Guessan |
| Cuba | NTM only | — | — | Javier Vidal |
| Democratic Rep. of Timor-Leste | NTM only | — | — | Camacho Ramos da Silva Pinto |
| Djibouti | NTM only | — | — | Eleyeh I.Daher |
| France | NTM only | — | — | Bora Kim |
| Georgia | NTM only | — | — | Tsotne Chogovadze |
| Ghana | NTM only | — | — | Ebenezer Kwesi Hayford |
| Greece | NTM only | — | — | Anastasios Eleftheriadis |
| Guam | NTM only | — | — | Ken San Nicolas |
| Guatemala | NTM only | — | — | Pablo Melgar |
| Honduras | NTM only | — | — | Rafael Urbina |
| Iceland | NTM only | — | — | Bjarki Már Sigurðsson |
| Ireland | NTM only | — | — | Ronan Monaghan |
| Jamaica | NTM only | — | — | Andrew Johnson |
| Kenya | NTM only | — | — | Shon Osimbo |
| Kuwait | NTM only | — | — | Abdulmohsen Ibrahim Alnooh |
| Lao People’s Democratic Republic | NTM only | — | — | Somphachanh Sengsilavong |
| Latvia | NTM only | — | — | Sandis Rainskis |
| Malawi | NTM only | — | — | Robert Cheleuka |
| Mali | NTM only | — | — | Mohamed Coulibaly |
| Mexico | NTM only | — | — | Emmanuel Neyra |
| Pakistan | NTM only | — | — | Danyal Arshad Chishty |
| Paraguay | NTM only | — | — | Esteban Lindgren |
| Republic of Moldova | NTM only | — | — | Vasile Gavrilita |
| Serbia | NTM only | — | — | Milan Đukić |
| South Africa | NTM only | — | — | Michele Brondani |
| Syrian Arab Republic | NTM only | — | — | Omar Nakkaa |
| Tajikistan | NTM only | — | — | Turaev Firdavs |
| Turkmenistan | NTM only | — | — | Mekan Eyeberdiyev |
| Uzbekistan | NTM only | — | — | Jaloliddin Khusanov |
| Zambia | NTM only | — | — | Choolwe Elen Shabukali |
| 80+ nations | Regional manager | — | — | Apply via esportsnationscup.com |
