The 2026 Esports Nations Cup is a multi game, country based esports series hosted by the Esports World Cup Foundation. This event marks the first edition of the series, shifting the focus from professional clubs to national representation. The Apex Legends portion of the tournament will take place in Riyadh, where forty national teams will compete for a $1,200,000 USD prize pool.
Tournament Overview
< Apex Legends Global Series: 2026 Split 2 Playoffs – Global Series: 2027 Championship >
| Category | Information |
| Dates | November 26 to November 29, 2026 |
| Location | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia |
| Organizer | EWC Foundation |
| Prize Pool | $1,200,000 USD |
| Teams | 40 |
| Platform | PC |
Format
Qualification and Invites
The tournament features a unique qualification system based on national performance rather than individual club success.
- Direct Invites: The top 20 performing countries receive direct invites based on total ALGS Championship Points earned by their players. The ranking cut off for these invites is July 12, 2026.
- Regional Qualifiers: 18 slots are awarded through regional qualifiers held between August 1 and August 2. The slots are distributed as follows: 6 for Americas, 9 for EMEA, and 3 for APAC South.
- Roster Selection: For invited countries, the specific roster is determined by which team from that nation finishes highest in their respective regional qualifier.
- Wildcards: 2 slots are reserved for Wildcard Invites.
Group Stage
- Structure: 40 teams are split into four groups of 10.
- Format: Groups play a single round robin.
- Match Count: Each series consists of 6 games.
- Progression: The top 20 teams based on total points advance to the Finals.
Finals
- Structure: 20 teams.
- Format: Match Point Format.
- Win Condition: The first team to reach a 50 point threshold and then secure a first place finish in a subsequent match is crowned the champion.
Prize Pool
The total prize pool of $1,200,000 USD will be distributed among the participating national teams. Specific placement earnings will be finalized closer to the event start date.
Participating Teams
The field consists of 20 invited countries, 18 qualified rosters, and 2 wildcard selections.
- Invited Countries: 20 Slots (TBD based on July 12 rankings)
- Americas Qualifiers: 6 Slots (TBD)
- EMEA Qualifiers: 9 Slots (TBD)
- APAC South Qualifiers: 3 Slots (TBD)
- Wildcard Invites: 2 Slots (TBD)
