Riyadh: The Esports Foundation (EF) has appointed NODWIN Gaming as India’s official National Team Partner for the inaugural Esports Nations Cup 2026 (ENC), set to take place in Riyadh from November 2–29, 2026.
The appointment underscores NODWIN Gaming’s longstanding role in shaping India’s esports ecosystem through national tournaments, publisher-led circuits, and community-building initiatives across players, creators, and partners.
As part of its mandate, NODWIN Gaming will lead India’s national team development, including talent identification, grassroots mobilisation, coaching support across multiple game titles, and coordination with publishers, clubs, and other ecosystem stakeholders. The goal is to establish a structured pathway for Indian players to represent the country on a global stage.
Commenting on the development, Nimish Raut, Global Head of Esports: Partnerships & Special Projects at NODWIN Gaming, said, “The Esports Nations Cup represents a defining shift in how competitive gaming is structured globally, and for a country like India, this is a truly transformative opportunity. 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. We are excited to work closely with the EF to unlock this next phase of growth for Indian esports and establish a sustainable foundation for the future.”
NODWIN Gaming joins a global roster of National Team Partners across more than 100 nations, selected through a competitive process that saw over 630 applications from 150 countries and territories, highlighting the growing global interest in nation-based esports competition.
The Esports Nations Cup 2026 introduces a structured framework for national teams, complementing existing club-based formats and strengthening grassroots participation and long-term talent development.
Highlighting India’s potential, Hans Jagnow, Director, Special Projects at The Esports Foundation, said, “India is a country full of passionate esports fans, building up to be a not-so-silent powerhouse of esports on the global stage”, “NODWIN Gaming has been a key architect of the Indian community and we couldn’t think of anyone better to bring together the ENC National Team for India and spark national pride for the players competing for a place in Riyadh.”
With a strong track record in organising large-scale tournaments and building esports IPs, NODWIN Gaming has played a key role in advancing competitive gaming in India and international markets. The company has also been involved in global collaborations, including media rights partnerships and initiatives aimed at expanding esports into new formats such as chess esports.
Backed by a total investment of $45 million, the ENC 2026 will feature prize money, club incentives, and funding dedicated to national team development across 16 titles, including popular games such as VALORANT, Dota 2, League of Legends, and PUBG Mobile.
The tournament will debut in Riyadh before transitioning to a rotating host city model in future editions, positioning itself as a complementary platform to existing global esports competitions while enabling long-term national team development.
