UESF and The Esports Foundation are joining forces to give Ukrainian players the opportunity to step onto the world stage under their country’s flag — at the first-ever global national team tournament in esports history, the Esports Nations Cup 2026, taking place in November in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The Ukrainian Esports Federation (UESF) has received National Team Partner (NTP) status from The Esports Foundation (EF) as part of the first-ever Esports Nations Cup 2026 (ENC 2026). The Esports Foundation received over 630 applications from more than 200 countries and territories — and UESF made the list of official partners for the inaugural edition, meeting the global selection criteria: governance quality, operational capability, ecosystem standards compliance, and a player-first approach. This means one thing: for the first time at this kind of global scale, Ukrainian esports athletes will compete for their country on the world’s biggest international stage.
What Is the Esports Nations Cup?
The Esports Nations Cup is an entirely new format in global esports, organized by The Esports Foundation. Unlike traditional club-based tournaments, ENC features national teams competing directly on behalf of their countries — similar to the Olympic Games or world championships in classic sports.
The inaugural edition will take place in November 2026 in Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) and will span 16 game disciplines. Among them — Counter-Strike 2, Dota 2, VALORANT, League of Legends, Rocket League, EA Sports FC, Rainbow Six Siege, PUBG, Apex Legends, Honor of Kings, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, PUBG Mobile, Chess, Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves, Trackmania, and others. The total prize pool is split across all disciplines: for instance, Counter-Strike 2 and Rainbow Six Siege each carry a prize pool of $1,320,000, while Dota 2, VALORANT, and League of Legends each have $1,500,000.
The tournament will run in waves from November 2 to 29, 2026. ENC was first announced back in August 2025 at the New Global Sport Conference, and the series is planned to run on a regular basis, with the host country rotating every two years.
UESF’s Role as National Team Partner
National Team Partner status gives UESF the authority to act as Ukraine’s official representative within ENC 2026. The Federation is responsible for forming and accrediting national team rosters in each game discipline, ensuring players meet the tournament’s requirements, and coordinating the qualification process in cooperation with EF.
This isn’t just a ticket to the tournament. It’s recognition of UESF as an institution that meets global standards — and confirmation that Ukraine is actively shaping its place in the global esports movement today.
Comment from UESF
“This is a landmark moment for Ukrainian esports. We’re delighted about this opportunity and will do everything we can to field the best possible rosters across all disciplines. This will be a major challenge — for the Federation and for the players alike. Tryouts, qualifiers, wins, and losses.
I encourage the Ukrainian esports community to support our national team: watch, cheer, and share news and content. We’ll have much more information for you very soon!”
— Andrii Gryshchenko, CEO of the Ukrainian Esports Federation (UESF).
Comment from The Esports Foundation
“The Esports Nations Cup is built on a simple idea: players should have a trusted pathway to represent their country, and fans should have a national team they can truly rally behind.
From the start, we’ve focused on the quality of the partnerships and structure behind that journey, as well as the scale needed to deliver a global event. The response from our partners around the world gives us confidence that ENC isn’t just a new tournament — it’s an innovative model for national esports, marking the beginning of a new chapter for the industry.”
— Hans Jagnow, Director of National Team Relations, The Esports Foundation.
Why This Matters for Ukrainian Esports
Esports in Ukraine has been developing for a long time — there are players, tournaments, and a community. But ENC 2026 opens up something new: for the first time at this kind of global scale, Ukrainian esports athletes will compete not for a club, but for their country — alongside national teams from 200+ nations around the world.
For players, it’s a trusted pathway to the international stage with clear rules and real status. For juniors and the next generation, it’s further proof that esports in Ukraine is taken seriously and recognized at the highest level. For the entire ecosystem, it’s confirmation that forward momentum isn’t slowing down.
UESF is a bridge between the state, players, and the community. And taking part in ENC 2026 as a National Team Partner is one of the biggest steps along that path.
