Esports Federation announces ENC postponement until 2027

The Esports Federation has announced that it has postponed the inaugural Esports Nations Cup, an international competition between countries in esports, until November 2027.

Announced by release on Tuesday, Aug. 18, the reasoning behind the postponement of the event, which was scheduled to take place across almost the entire month of November this year, was not directly referenced, instead described as a reaction to the “wider regional situation.”

The ENC has been postponed until 2027

The four-week event was scheduled to take place between Nov. 2 and Nov. 29 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, showcasing 16 esports disciplines. Described as a “global international esports competition for nations and territories.” the ENC’s stated goal is to ‘bring together leading players to represent their countries across multiple game titles for the advancement of the esports ecosystem.”

Originally announced in August 2025, during the EF-organized Esports World Cup 2025, the ENC’s sister event, qualifiers for the tournament have run for multiple months since around June. Across the year, nations have announced their international teams, and have debuted jerseys for the competition.

Now the preparation will likely go to waste, at least for a year, as postponement hits the ENC. The EF came short of directly attributing the delay of the event to the on-going war with Iran and conflicts around the Arabian peninsula. The announcement expressed that the reasoning was to “provide certainty and stability” to the national teams involved. The release also stated that “Saudi Arabia remains fully capable of hosting events, with major sporting and entertainment events continuing as planned.”

Esports Foundation CEO Ralf Reichert commented on the postponement:

“The decision to postpone the Esports Nations Cup was not taken lightly. The response from National Team Partners, publishers, players and communities around the world has shown us how much potential this competition has. We owe them an inaugural ENC delivered under the right conditions and at the level this idea deserves. Hosting the tournament in Riyadh next year does not change our commitment. We will continue investing in our National Team Partners, working with publishers and building the national ecosystems already taking shape around the competition. The work continues, and our ambition for ENC remains unchanged.”

A decision not taken lightly

While the EF made sure to express that it hadn’t taken the decision lightly, it will not shield the organization or the ENC from criticism of the decision to postpone, rather than move the event (like in the case with EWC).

The majority of the ENC qualifiers had been completed, with some competitors travelling to other countries, or taking time out of schedules to participate. November, the month earmarked to be taken over by the ENC, could now sit barren of esports events (baring, of course, the conclusion of the League of Legends World Championships) for many players. Reports are already surfacing of players who turned down other opportunities and tournaments to attend the ENC and have the chance to represent their country on a huge new stage.

One proponent who may be especially frustrated by the delay to the ENC, is the Korea e-Sports Association, KeSPA. The organization butted heads with ENC organizers EF over the the selection process for South Korean entrants, before finding an agreement.

The organization also rescheduled its premier League of Legends event, the KeSPA Cup 2026, which usually takes place in November, to July and August, bringing it into a clash with the LCK regular season. This, in a season where Korean competitive LoL has been under extra scrutiny for its demanding schedule.

As one of the only governing bodies in esports able to stand toe-to-toe with ENC organizers, the foundation may find KeSPA even less charitable in 2027.

But it's more than governing bodies that could be affected. At the time of writing, it is unknown if qualifications for the 2026 event will stand. And in the world of esports, a year is a long time.

The Esports Foundation is a Riyadh-based non-profit whose stated goal is the advancement of esports.