The Esports Nations Cup (ENC), which will take place for the first time from November 2 to 29, 2026 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, has been moved back by a full year. The Esports Foundation confirmed the news on 18 August 2026.
That hasn’t changed. There will still be a race in Riyadh. The Foundation only put off the date, citing the bigger picture of the region. All the funding commitments made to National Team Partners are staying in place. This is a big deal for India especially since the country had already locked in its BGMI team, completed its CS2 qualifiers and confirmed its participation in four different games even before this delay was announced.
Why It Happened: The Delay
The Foundation said that the decision was made based on the wider regional situation essentially the same Iran-U.S. tension that previously compelled the Esports World Cup (EWC) to shift from Riyadh to Paris back in May 2026.
“It was not an easy decision,” said Ralf Reichert, CEO of the Esports Foundation. He said the Foundation felt it owed its partners a proper first-ever ENC, one held under right conditions and given launch it deserves. He also made clear that work is not stopping and the long-term plan hasn’t changed.
Interestingly, the Foundation decided to delay event, rather than simply reschedule it, as EWC did. EWC managed to move to Paris with only 50 days’ notice. ENC actually had about three months lead time before its original date and could have also tried switching cities. But instead they pushed whole thing back a year and kept it in Riyadh. That says a lot, it seems the Foundation really wants debut of this event to be specifically in Saudi Arabia, even if it means waiting.
What India Had Already Built Before the Delay
India was arguably one of the most prepared countries going into ENC 2026, so this delay hits harder than it might for others. This isn’t just plans on paper that got scrapped, it’s actual progress that now has to wait.
NODWIN Gaming announced as India’s National Team Partner in March 2026. They were responsible for scouting talent, developing roster, coaching and collaborating with game publishers to effectively lead India’s first real opportunity for organized national esports representation.
India’s BGMI (Battlegrounds Mobile India) roster was locked in from July 2026 with Nakul, Legit, Spower, Akop, Pain and Slug, with Ayogi as coach. India was given a Special Invite to the BGMI event that would see 32 national teams battle it out for a $1.32 million prize pool. The Indian BGMI roster was on course to be one of the best in entire competition by all accounts.
India had confirmedits participation in four titles in all BGMI, Chess, VALORANT and Trackmania.
Plus the India’s CS2 qualifiers were done already. The national qualifiers took place from July 6 to July 16, and the regional qualifiers from July 17 to July 19. Registration was opened on FACEIT in June 2026.
A full year’s delay changes a lot for rosters like this. Players move between teams, contracts run out, and form changes over time. It’s very likely BGMI roster India put together in July 2026 will need to be rebuilt before the event actually happens in November 2027.
What’s Staying the Same, According to the Foundation
In its announcement, Esports Foundation made a few specific promises:
- All existing Development Fund commitments to National Team Partners will stay in place
- The Development Fund and other ecosystem programs will keep running
- Work with publishers, national team partners and other stakeholders continues as normal
- More details on new schedule, qualification process and other logistics will come in the following weeks
The Foundation also stressed that Saudi Arabia is still fully capable of hosting major events and other big sporting and entertainment events in the country are continuing on schedule.
ENC 2026 Postponement: Quick Facts
| Detail | Original Plan | Updated |
| Event | Esports Nations Cup | Esports Nations Cup |
| Original Dates | November 2–29, 2026 | Postponed |
| New Date | – | November 2027 |
| Location | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (unchanged) |
| Game Titles | 16 | To be confirmed for 2027 |
| Countries/Territories | 100+ | Partnerships remain |
| Total Commitment | $45 million | Not yet confirmed for 2027 |
| Prize Pool | $20 million | Not yet confirmed for 2027 |
| India’s National Team Partner | NODWIN Gaming | Unchanged |
| India’s Titles | BGMI, Chess, VALORANT, Trackmania | To be confirmed for 2027 |
The Second Major Riyadh Event to Get Delayed This Year
This isn’t the first time regional tensions have derailed a major esports event in Riyadh this year. The Esports World Cup had to be relocated from Riyadh to Paris in May 2026 for the same reason. That move actually worked out ok EWC is currently in process and running through 23 Aug. ENC has gone a different route: no move, just a year in Riyadh waiting.
The situation in region EWC was forced to move to has now influenced two of Esports Foundation’s three major 2026 events and ENC has been postponed. The third event, EWC 2027, is still scheduled to return to Riyadh as planned.
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