VALORANT confirmed for ENC 2026: 32 teams set for showdown

The Esports World Cup Foundation has announced VALORANT as the latest of 16 titles that national teams and players will compete in at the Esports Nations Cup (ENC) in November 2026. The tournament is set to debut in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where the “best region” will finally be decided. In total, 32 teams with the best VALORANT players will battle for the ENC title.

Not Competing as Clubs

The ENC is a biennial global esports competition created by the Esports World Cup Foundation. Launching in 2026, the ENC will feature the world’s top players. However, instead of representing their clubs, players will compete for their countries and territories.

In collaboration with game partners, clubs, and esports organizations, the ENC establishes the first recurring, large-scale platform for national teams in esports.

Schedule and Format

The VALORANT tournament at ENC will run from November 8–15. The event kicks off with a round-robin group stage featuring 32 teams split into four groups of eight teams. The top four teams from each group will advance to a 16-team single-elimination playoff bracket.

• Group Stage: Best-of-one (Bo1)
• Playoffs: Best-of-three (Bo3)
• Grand Final: Best-of-five (Bo5)

Ranking System and Qualifier Information

The 32 teams will qualify through the following pathways:

• 16 teams will receive direct invitations based on the newly created VALORANT National Team Rankings.
• 14 teams will qualify through regional online qualifiers.
• 2 teams will secure spots via Wildcard slots.

The VALORANT National Team Rankings take into account results from regional and international VALORANT Champions Tour competitions, with points equally distributed among all participating club teammates. Each country’s national ranking will then be calculated based on the points of the top five players on the submitted national roster. The cut-off date for the national ranking is June 21, 2026.

Regional qualifiers

Regional qualifiers will take place June 26–28. Each region will host a double-elimination bracket:

• North America (2 slots)
• South America (2)
• Western Europe (2)
• Eastern Europe (2)
• Middle East & North Africa (2)
• Asia (2)
• Southeast Asia & Oceania (2)

VALORANT at the Esports World Cup

In 2025, VALORANT made its debut at the EWC VALORANT - Esports World Cup 2025 in July. 16 teams competed in the group stage, with eight advancing to the playoffs. Ultimately, Team Heretics defeated Fnatic in a reverse sweep in the Grand Final to become the first VALORANT champions at EWC 2025.

This time around, the ENC will be twice as large, with players competing on stage not for club glory, but for national pride.

For more VALORANT news, stay tuned to THESPIKE.GG.

Featured image source: Esports World Cup Foundation