New Frontier! EWCF Adds Chess To Esports Nations Cup 2026 Roster

Last Updated:February 08, 2026, 12:29 IST

128 players representing their nation will compete in one of the largest international Chess competitions ever, slated to be held in Riyadh between the Nov 2 and 8.

The Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) has announced Chess as one of the 16 titles that will feature at the inaugural Esports Nations Cup 2026 (ENC). The event will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from November 2 to 29, 2026. Chess at ENC 2026 will see an unprecedented number of competitors, enabling new talents and underrepresented nations to showcase their skills on a major stage as the historically significant game continues to grow as an esport.

The Esports Nations Cup will determine its direct invites based on the official CCT rankings, with a limit of one player per nation. If there are not 64 unique nations in the CCT rankings, the Titled Tuesday Spring Split will be used as a tie-breaker. The cut-off date for determining direct invites to ENC 2026 is May 26, 2026.

Chess will feature two regional qualifiers in each region, scheduled for June 6-7 and June 13-14. Each qualifier will consist of two stages: a Swiss stage and a double-elimination stage. Four players from each qualifier will advance to ENC, resulting in a total of eight players per region.

Each nation can have up to two representatives at the event. If a nation has a player directly invited through the rankings, only one additional player from that nation can qualify through the regional qualifier. Nations without a direct invite can still have two players qualify online.

Chess made its debut at the Esports World Cup in 2025, marking a significant shift in the digital era for one of the world’s oldest and most beloved games. Fans of both esports and chess were captivated by the event, experiencing unprecedented excitement as the intense action unfolded. The playoffs featured the most accomplished players and biggest names, with Magnus Carlsen (Norway) winning the inaugural Chess at EWC championship on behalf of Team Liquid.

A total of 20 nations were represented across the Chess main event and Last Chance Qualifier in Riyadh at EWC 2025.

Format and schedule:

The Chess tournament at ENC will begin on November 2, 2026, and will conclude with the playoff final on November 8, 2026. The opening portion of the tournament will consist of 128 players competing in a round-robin group stage, featuring 16 groups of eight players.

The top four players from each group will advance to the second stage, which will consist of 64 players competing in a single-elimination playoff bracket.

All group stage matches will be best-of-two. All Round of 64 and 32 matches will be best-of-two, while the quarterfinals and beyond will be best-of-four.

Armageddon games will be used as tie-breakers and the event will be played in a Rapid 10+0 time control format.

Ranking system and qualification:

128 players representing their respective nation will compete in the Chess event at ENC 2026:

64 players from 64 nations will be directly invited based on the official Champions Chess Tour (CCT) rankings

56 players will qualify through regional qualifiers

8 players will come from Wildcard slots

Qualifiers will be operated by Chess.com, and hosted in each of the following regions:

North America (8 slots)

South America (8)

Africa (8)

Western Europe (8)

Eastern Europe (8)

Middle East + India + Central Asia (8)

East Asia + Southeast Asia + Oceania (8)

“Playing for Gen.G at the Esports World Cup was a great experience for me. The energy there was amazing and unlike any chess tournament I’ve played before. It’s really exciting to see chess becoming part of the esports world and reaching so many new people. I’m looking forward to the Esports Nation Cup and can’t wait to start competing again," said Arjun Erigaisi, who is currently India’s number 1 ranked chess player.

Sagar Shah, co-founder and CEO at ChessBase India said, “I am very excited that the Esports Nations Cup is happening for the first time this year! In 2024 when the Chess Olympiad happened, it was such an exciting time for Indian chess. I am sure there will be a similar level of excitement in the Indian community for the Esports Nations Cup as well since they will be rooting for the nation and our top Indian players! I am really looking forward to it."

Grandmaster and prominent chess commentator, Tania Sachdev commented, “After the incredible success of chess at the Esports World Cup, bringing it into a nation based format adds a powerful layer. Playing for your flag brings pride, pressure, and passion and that’s what makes fans invest so deeply. Having been part of the Esports World Cup broadcast and experiencing its impact ring side I’m very excited to see this next chapter as the game cements its place as a perfect fit in the world of esports."

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