The Esports Nations Cup 2026 will host a 128-player EA Sports FC tournament from November 17 to 22 in Riyadh. The Esports Foundation has invited 64 countries directly, with another 64 players to emerge from regional qualifications. Top competitors like Vejrgang, nicolas99fc, Emre Yilmaz, RvPLegend, Paulo Neto, and Bonnano are among the invited players.

The tournament follows the FC World Championship at the Esports World Cup, where Razvan Puiu unexpectedly claimed victory. This win propelled Puiu to fourth in the world rankings, while Anders Vejrgang remains the leader with multiple prestigious tournament wins in 2026.

Online qualifications will take place in FC Pro Live Events within the game and on the Battlefy platform. The first stage, from July 29 to August 2, features a rating ‘ladder’ where opponents are matched based on skill level. The best players from each region will advance to the playoffs on Battlefy. The final part of the tournament starts on November 17, with 128 participants divided into 16 groups of eight players, competing in a round-robin format. The top 64 players will advance to the playoff stage, which will be a single-elimination tournament.