The Esports World Cup Foundation has confirmed that League of Legends will be one of 16 titles featured at the inaugural Esports Nations Cup 2026, which will debut in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from November 2 to 29, 2026.
The League tournament itself will run from Nov. 21 through Nov. 29, with 32 national teams competing for the title and the grand final set as a best-of-five series.
The competition will follow a three-stage format beginning with a 24-team play-in phase. Teams will be split into four groups of six and compete in a double round robin format, with all matches played as best of one. The top two teams from each group will advance to the next stage.
Those eight qualified teams will join eight directly seeded nations in a 16-team group stage. This phase will feature four groups of four teams playing best-of-three matches in a round robin format. The top two teams from each group will move on to the playoffs.
The playoffs will consist of eight teams competing in a single-elimination bracket. All matches in this stage will be best of three, except for the Grand Final, which will be played as a best of five.
Among 32 national teams, 16 teams will receive direct invitations based on a newly developed ENC national team ranking. The top eight-ranked nations will move straight into the group stage, while teams ranked 9 through 16 will begin in the play-in stage. 14 additional teams will qualify through regional online qualifiers, with two more entering via Wildcard slots.
The ENC national team ranking will take into account performances in official Riot Games competitions, with points earned by clubs shared equally among participating teammates. Each country’s ranking will be determined by the cumulative points of the top five players on its submitted national roster. The cut-off date for the ranking is June 14, 2026.
Online qualifiers for the event will take place from June 19 to 21 in a double-elimination format. The best-performing roster per nation will secure qualification until they’re filled. Two slots will be awarded in each of the following regions: North America, South America, Europe West, Europe East, Southeast Asia, Oceania, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa.
League was previously featured at the Esports World Cup 2025, where Gen.G edged out AG.AL International is in one of the event’s closest Grand Finals. The victory came just a week after Gen.G lifted the Mid Season Invitational 2025, making them the first team to win two major League events within the span of a week.
Additional details about the Esports Nations Cup 2026 are expected to be revealed in the coming weeks.
