Gaming
Esports Nations Cup to debut in Riyadh in 2026 with national teams
MUMBAI: When esports trades club colours for national flags, the stakes get personal. The Esports Nations Cup 2026 is set to make its global debut in Riyadh from November 2 to 29, 2026, adding a fresh, nation-first twist to competitive gaming.
Announced by the Esports World Cup Foundation, the new tournament is designed to sit alongside the club-based Esports World Cup, giving players the rare chance to represent their countries and fans a reason to cheer with identity and pride firmly in play.
The numbers are hard to ignore. ENC 2026 is backed by a $45 million, three-part funding model, aimed at strengthening the entire esports ecosystem. Of this, 20 million dollars will be paid directly as prize money to players and coaches across 16 game titles. A further $5 million has been earmarked as incentives for esports clubs that release their professional players for national duty, with payouts linked to player performance.
Another $20 million will flow through the ENC Development Fund, supporting national teams with logistics, travel, operations, marketing and long-term pathway development signalling that this is as much about future pipelines as present-day podiums.
The competition introduces a placement-based prize framework that keeps things simple and transparent. Every qualified player is guaranteed prize money and at least three matches. A gold-medal finish earns $50,000 per player, silver takes $30,000, and bronze pays $15,000. The same placement pays the same amount across all titles, whether solo or team-based, with team payouts scaling by roster size. Coaches are rewarded alongside players for identical finishes.
“National teams bring a powerful new layer to esports, rooted in identity and pride,” said Esports World Cup Foundation CEO Ralf Reichert, adding that the model is designed to reward performance while remaining fair and sustainable for players, clubs and national programmes alike.
While Riyadh hosts the inaugural edition, the ENC is planned as a biennial event with a rotating host-city format, taking nation-based esports to major cities around the world.
Several titles are already locked in. Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, Trackmania, and Dota 2 have been confirmed for 2026, with more games expected to be announced shortly.
For esports fans, it is no longer just about who plays best but which nation plays proudest.
Gaming
IICT signs three MoUs to boost AVGC-XR and esports
Partnerships with Zenfluencers, Yologram and Eruditio at Chennai Gaming Show 2026 strengthen education, XR innovation and nationwide talent outreach.
MUMBAI: IICT has just levelled up the game in a big way. The Indian Institute of Creative Technologies signed three strategic Memorandums of Understanding on 17 April 2026 at the CII Summit FX – India Gaming Show in Chennai, forging alliances with The Zenfluencers, Yologram Style Pvt. Ltd. and Eruditio Consultants to accelerate India’s AVGC-XR ecosystem.
The tie-ups combine IICT’s strengths in education, skilling and research with specialist expertise across esports, immersive technologies and large-scale outreach.
- With The Zenfluencers, IICT will roll out globally benchmarked esports programmes, including joint certification courses, industry workshops, tournaments and masterclasses, creating clear career pathways across the full esports value chain.
- The partnership with Yologram Style Pvt. Ltd. focuses on gaming, immersive storytelling and extended reality (XR), delivering industry-aligned curriculum, faculty mentorship, student showcases and collaborative research in immersive AI and virtual production.
- Collaboration with Eruditio Consultants targets awareness, accessibility and career alignment, with nationwide counsellor training, institutional engagement and structured guidance frameworks to reach students beyond Tier-1 cities.
IICT CEO Vishwas Deoskar said, “As the AVGC-XR sector evolves at a rapid pace, strong collaborations between industry and academia are essential. These partnerships will create meaningful impact across education, innovation and outreach.”
Yologram Style Pvt. Ltd. founder Aditya Mani added, “AI-driven creator worlds are transforming games into engines of culture, commerce and careers. Together we aim to empower a generation to build immersive futures.”
Eruditio Consultants founder Indrajit Ghosh noted, “This is not just about awareness, it is about building a structured ecosystem that connects aspiration with opportunity.”
The Zenfluencers CEO Atharva Gupta said, “This MoU is a big unlock moment for the esports ecosystem in India. We’re building a structured pipeline for talent across the full stack.”
By bringing together academia, industry leaders and ecosystem players, IICT is creating scalable models that blend cutting-edge skills with real-world relevance. In a sector racing toward the future, these three partnerships ensure India’s next generation of creative technologists won’t just keep up, they’ll set the pace.
