Grandmaster Mitrabha Guha has secured his place in India’s chess contingent for the Esports Nations Cup (ENC) 2026. Guha topped the regional qualifier, thereby joining Grandmaster Nihal Sarin, who had previously received a direct invitation through the Champions Chess Tour (CCT) Leaderboard. The two grandmasters will represent India at the global nation-based esports competition in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The chess segment of the ENC 2026 is scheduled from November 2-8, while the overall event runs from November 2-29.

The ENC 2026 chess tournament will feature 128 players competing for a prize pool of USD 600,000, equivalent to approximately INR 5.7 crore. The competition structure includes an initial round-robin group stage, consisting of 16 groups with eight players each. Following this, 64 players will advance to a single-elimination playoff bracket to determine the champions.

Among the 128 participants, 64 players received direct invitations based on their official CCT rankings, ensuring representation from 64 distinct countries and territories. Confirmed participants include Norway’s Magnus Carlsen, Poland’s Jan-Krzysztof Duda, France’s Alireza Firouzja, and the United States’ Hikaru Nakamura. Switzerland’s Alexandra Kosteniuk and Estonia’s Mai Narva are noted as the first women to officially qualify for the event. An additional 61 players earned their spots through regional qualifiers organized by Chess.com, with the final three places allocated as wildcard entries.

Tournament regulations permit each country or territory to be represented by up to two players. With Nihal Sarin’s direct invitation, Guha’s successful qualification through the regional pathway fulfilled India’s second available slot.

Mitrabha Guha’s Qualification Path

Guha’s qualification involved participation in the regional qualifier for the Middle East, India, and Central Asia. The initial phase comprised an open nine-round Swiss stage, featuring verified titled players under a 10+0 rapid time control. Guha distinguished himself as the sole unbeaten player, achieving six wins and three draws across nine rounds, which positioned him at the top of the Swiss standings.

This performance secured him a spot in the Upper Bracket quarterfinals, where he defeated Syria’s Malek Koniahli. Subsequently, he advanced past Iran’s Artin Ashraf in the Upper Bracket semifinals, thereby finalizing his qualification for the ENC 2026 Finals.

The 24-year-old Grandmaster enters the ENC 2026 following a period of strong performance, including claiming gold at the Commonwealth Chess Championship earlier this year, a title he also secured during the 2023-24 season.

“The regional qualifier was challenging from start to finish,” Guha stated regarding his qualification process. He further commented on the event’s significance, noting that “Chess has become an increasingly important part of the global esports ecosystem, and the Esports Nations Cup is a great reflection of that growth. The tournament will bring together some of the strongest players from around the world, so preparation will be key. Over the coming months, my focus will be on refining different aspects of my game and ensuring I am ready to perform at my highest level when the competition begins.”

India’s Broader Esports Nations Cup Preparations

India’s participation in the ENC 2026 extends beyond chess, with teams preparing for other titles. NODWIN Gaming, India’s National Team Partner (NTP) for the tournament, has announced rosters for several disciplines:

DOTA 2 The team includes Krish Gupta (Krish), Vishal Vernekar (HBK), Dhvanit Singh Negi (Negi), Manav Kunte (MnZ), and Yash Thakur (xand3r_^). Moin Ejaz (NO_Chanc3) will serve as coach. This roster is set to compete in regional qualifiers from June 29 to July 1, vying for two available qualification spots.

MOBA Legends: 5v5!: The roster consists of Gaithanlung Gonmei (Kyle), Susanta Biswas (Kimyy), Abhijeet Katkar (Asuna), Rithik Sohal (Romcom), Evancius A. Sangma (Vann), Mohammad Saad (Apex), and Jay Mehta (J). Steve Vitug (Dale) will coach the team. India currently holds the 11th rank in the MOBA Legends: 5v5! ENC rankings and remains a contender for a direct invitation. Should a direct invitation not be secured, the team will participate in regional qualifiers scheduled for August 15-16.

Rocket League: The team comprises Abhai Ponna (Abscrazy), Karthik Raghunandan (Karvin), Aditeya Srivastav (Riyal), and substitute player Jayanth Engineer (Orjanguse). Nirjhar Mitra (jocse) is the coach. This team will compete in regional qualifiers from July 17-19, where three Asian teams will qualify for the ENC 2026 Finals.

The Esports Nations Cup, spearheaded by the Esports Foundation (EF) in Riyadh, serves as a significant international platform for competitive gaming, encompassing various titles beyond traditional esports. For additional details regarding the event and its ongoing developments, the official Esports Nations Cup website (https://esportsnationscup.com/) provides comprehensive information. For comprehensive coverage of global esports events and the latest industry developments, readers can refer to TechnoSports (https://technosports.co.in/)