The list of disciplines of the upcoming Esports Nations Cup 2026 continues to swell — the organizers have officially confirmed the participation of the Rocket League. This whole esports celebration will unfold in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The information came straight from the official X-account of the championship. The games themselves are scheduled for the period from November 3 to November 8, 2026, so the teams have plenty of time to prepare.
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Qualification format and quotas for the ENC 2026 tournament
In general, the scale is impressive — 48 national teams will compete in the Rocket League tournament. To tell the truth, the organizers decided not to be petty: 24 teams will take direct invitations, and 21 more teams will chew their way through regional qualifications. The remaining three slots were apparently reserved for special invitations.
By the way, the qualification sieve will be launched in the summer — the matches will be held from July 17 to 27. By the way, they plan to use a strict Double Elimination system so that accidents do not interfere with the strongest. Interestingly, the total prize pool of the discipline will be an impressive $1.32 million. In addition, it is worth considering that the players will fight for the flags of their countries, which always adds heat.
The rules of the final stage and the Best of 7 matches
At the group stage itself, the teams are divided into eight groups. There are 6 teams in each team, which will be cut in a circular system — quite honestly, to be honest. As a result, only the top 16 teams will get a pass to the playoffs. A real test of strength will already begin there: the series will go up to four wins (best-of-7 format).
In fact, the Esports Nations Cup 2026 is turning into some incredible vinaigrette of top titles. The program already features projects from Electronic Arts, Krafton, Tencent and Ubisoft. Saudi Arabia is determined to consolidate its status as the main esports mecca on the planet. And Rocket League fits perfectly into this context.
