Nodwin Gaming has been appointed as India’s official national team partner for the Esports Nations Cup 2026 (ENC), which is set to debut in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from 2 to 29 November 2026.
To establish the pathways for Indian players to represent the country on the global stage, Nodwin Gaming will spearhead team formation, mobilise grassroots and competitive communities, support coaches across game titles, and coordinate with publishers, clubs, and ecosystem stakeholders.
“India is a country full of passionate esports fans, building up to be a not-so-silent powerhouse of esports on the global stage”, said The Esports Foundation director of special projects, Hans Jagnow
Nodwin Gaming, global head of esports: partnerships & special projects Nimish Raut said, “We have one of the largest and most passionate gaming communities in the world, but until now, there hasn’t been a unified pathway for players to represent the country on a global stage. As the National Team Partner, our focus will be on building that structure from the ground up, identifying and nurturing talent across titles, and creating a high-performance environment that enables Indian players to compete at the highest level.”
Nodwin Gaming joins a global roster of national team partners appointed across more than 100 nations. The Esports Foundation received more than 630 applications from 150 countries and territories.
The ENC 2026 will be backed by a US$45 million investment (approx Rs 414 crore), including US$20 million in prize money, US$5 million in club incentives, and US$20 million for national team development. The tournament will feature 16 titles, such as Pubg Mobile, Dota 2, Valorant, Counter-Strike 2, and League of Legends, with a placement-based prize structure offering equal payouts across games.
Despite ongoing conflict in the middle-east, the event is set to start in Riyadh in November 2026, which will later adopt a rotating city model and is designed to complement the annual Esports World Cup, supporting long-term growth of national esports ecosystems.
