News: Chess has been added to the Esports Nations Cup (ENC) 2026, a global nation-based esports tournament to be held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
About Esports Nations Cup (ENC) 2026
- It is an international, country-based esports competition in which players compete by representing their respective nations rather than private clubs or franchises.
- Organiser- Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF)
- Location- The tournament will take place from 2 November to 29 November 2026 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
- Games and Titles
- ENC 2026 will feature 16 competitive esports titles across multiple genres such as strategy, shooters, racing, and mobile gaming.
- Chess has been included as one of the competitive titles for the first time.
- Prize Structure:
- Every participant will be assured of prize money.
- Uniform placement rewards will be offered across all games to maintain fairness.
- Chess at ENC 2026
- Players will first compete in a round-robin group stage consisting of 16 groups of 8 players each.
- The top four players from each group will qualify for a 64-player knockout stage.
- Matches will be played in Rapid time control (10+0) format.
- Armageddon games will be used as tie-breakers.
