Fans will have to wait another year to see their nations represented in another global event in the esports scene.
The Esports Foundation announced Tuesday that the Esports Nations Cup will be postponed until November 2027.
The event was originally scheduled to start Nov. 2 and conclude Nov. 29, but the press release cited "unprecedented international scale and the uncertainty created by the wider regional situation" as the major reasons behind the decision to push back the event a year.
“The decision to postpone the Esports Nations Cup was not taken lightly,” said Ralf Reichert, CEO of the Esports Foundation via press release. “We will continue investing in our National Team Partners, working with publishers and building the national ecosystems already taking shape around the competition. The work continues, and our ambition for ENC remains unchanged.”
The Sporting Tribune reached out to the Esports Foundation for additional information. The organization did not have any further details other than what was stated in the press release.
The move is the latest road bump for the Esports Foundation.
Earlier this year, due to the same regional uncertainties, it moved the Esports World Cup to Paris from its home base of Riyadh, where the event is in its final week.
The Esports Foundation, a registered nonprofit, has received funding from Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, where Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman acts as the chair of the PIF and the Esports Foundation's Board of Trustees.
Another issue was when KeSPA, who primarily oversees Korea's esports ecosystem, threatened not to support the event due to conflicts in player selection. The two sides were able to reach an agreement to have South Korean players attend and wear the country's official jerseys.
Jesse Bodony, CEO and president of USA Esports, revealed on X his message to members of his team. USA Esports did not have any additional comments other than Bodony's post.
“Won't sugarcoat it, it's disappointing,” Bodony's post said. “Doesn't feel good to think about the time our players, coaches, and staff took out of their lives to get us ready for November.:”
Sharing for visibility to all of our supporters, here is the message I sent to the USA team:
— USA Jesse (@JesseBodony1) August 18, 2026
"Hey everyone, you've probably seen the news by now that EF is postponing ENC to November 2027.
Won't sugarcoat it, it's disappointing. Doesn't feel good to think about the time our… https://t.co/TX44v9AOxY
Coaches and players were taken aback by the decision.
Romanian League of Legends coach Razvan Nistor views it as a challenge. He's upset that the players who were selected may lose their form but will face it ahead in the upcoming year.
“A bit sad about it,” Nistor said. “Who knows what next year brings However, I have dealt with adversity all this life, so I'll find a way to make it work and have a good team next year as well.”
The Load-In is an esports editorial channel hosted by Paul Delos Santos, built on the belief that esports has all the raw material of great sports journalism – the stakes, the characters, the systems – but none of the connective storytelling that turns fans into believers. No hot takes, no homerism, no gambling sponsors. Just the argument, reported and made in full.