The Esports World Cup Foundation has announced the inclusion of chess as one of 16 titles in the inaugural Esports Nations Cup 2026, set for Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from November 2 to 29. The chess event will feature 128 players in a nation-based format, running from November 2 to 8. This marks a further integration of chess into the esports ecosystem following its debut at the 2025 Esports World Cup.
The Esports Nations Cup 2026 (ENC) will bring together national teams and players in Riyadh for a multi-title competition, with chess now confirmed as the 16th discipline. Organized by the Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF), the overall event spans November 2 through 29, 2026. The chess tournament specifically kicks off on November 2 and concludes with the playoff final on November 8.
The format emphasizes national representation, allowing up to two players per country. It begins with a round-robin group stage of 16 groups, each with eight players. The top four from each group advance to a 64-player single-elimination playoff bracket. Matches in the group stage, Round of 64, and Round of 32 will be best-of-two, shifting to best-of-four from the quarterfinals onward. Ties will be resolved via Armageddon games, all under a Rapid 10+0 time control, where each player gets 10 minutes without increment.
Qualification pathways include 64 direct invitations based on Champions Chess Tour (CCT) rankings, limited to one per nation, with a cutoff date of May 26, 2026. If fewer than 64 nations qualify directly, the Titled Tuesday Spring Split will serve as a tiebreaker. An additional 56 spots come from regional qualifiers operated by Chess.com on June 6-7 and June 13-14, 2026, across seven regions: North America, South America, Africa, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Middle East + India + Central Asia, and East Asia + Southeast Asia + Oceania. Each region offers eight slots through Swiss and double-elimination stages, with four players advancing per qualifier. Eight wildcards will fill the remaining positions.
This addition builds on chess's successful appearance at the 2025 Esports World Cup, where Magnus Carlsen claimed the title for Team Liquid. Indian Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi expressed enthusiasm, stating, “Playing for Gen. G at the Esports World Cup was a great experience for me. The energy there was amazing and unlike any chess tournament I’ve played before. It’s really exciting to see chess becoming part of the esports world and reaching so many new people. I’m looking forward to the Esports Nation Cup and can’t wait to start competing again.” The ENC commits $45 million overall to the esports ecosystem, with $20 million directed to players and coaches across titles.
