The Esports Foundation (EF) has announced a partnership with sportswear giant adidas, designating the company as the official kit partner for the inaugural Esports Nations Cup (ENC). The agreement will see adidas design and supply custom national team apparel for all participating countries and territories at the global esports event, set to commence on November 2, 2026, in Riyadh.
The partnership aims to integrate traditional sports representation into the esports landscape by providing unique national team jerseys and tracksuits to over 2,000 athletes and coaches from more than 100 countries. These kits are designed to reflect national identities while fostering a sense of global competition.
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The Esports Nations Cup, organized by the Esports Foundation (https://esportsnationscup.com/), will run for four weeks, featuring competition across 16 prominent esports titles. National team jerseys are anticipated to be unveiled in the coming weeks.
Mohammed Al Nimer, Chief Commercial Officer for the Esports Foundation, stated, “National team jerseys carry identity, pride, and the ambition of an entire country or territory. By partnering with adidas, one of the most iconic brands in global sport, we are giving esports athletes the opportunity to represent their nations on the world stage with the same sense of meaning and prestige seen across traditional sport.”
Phillip Waller, adidas SVP Brand Development, added, “At adidas, we’ve spent decades outfitting athletes at the world’s biggest sporting events, and we understand the role a jersey plays in identity, belonging and competition. The Esports Nations Cup gives us the opportunity to bring that experience into esports at a global scale.”
Esports Nations Cup: India’s Representation at ENC 2026
India has secured representation in seven esports titles at ENC 2026. The nation will compete in Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI), Chess, EA SPORTS FC, Honor of Kings, Rocket League, Trackmania, and VALORANT.
Notable Indian qualifiers include:
Charanjot Singh, who earned a direct invitation in EA SPORTS FC.
Grandmaster Nihal Sarin, securing a direct invite in Chess.
Grandmaster Mitrabha Guha, who qualified in Chess through regional qualifiers.
Kunal Upreti (Spark), representing India in Trackmania after qualifying regionally.
India also received Special Invites for BGMI and Honor of Kings. The country’s Rocket League and VALORANT teams secured their places through respective regional qualification pathways.
Global Impact and Structure
The Esports Nations Cup introduces a structured, recurring nation-based competition format to the global esports calendar. This framework is intended to enable countries to develop talent pipelines, organize national teams, and participate on an international stage, thereby strengthening esports ecosystems worldwide.
The Esports Foundation has been establishing the global infrastructure for the ENC, including appointing Official National Team Partners, National Team Managers, and over 700 national team coaches across the more than 100 participating countries. These coaches, drawn from over 90 leading esports organizations, are responsible for player selection and team development across the featured esports titles. For more on global esports events and industry developments, readers can visit TechnoSports (https://technosports.co.in/).
