From June 19 to 21, 2026, seven continental online qualifiers determined 14 of the 32 nations competing at the Esports Nations Cup 2026 in League of Legends. Over 90 national teams from every continent fought for two spots per region, with the main event set for Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in November.
New Zealand: First Nation to Qualify
In the SEA & Oceania qualifier, New Zealand made history by becoming the first nation to secure a spot at the ENC 2026 Main Event. The Kiwis went on a flawless four-win run — defeating Australia and topping the qualifier with a convincing 2-0 sweep of Singapore in the decisive series. The Philippines claimed the second qualification spot from the region.
Asia: Hong Kong Dominates, Mongolia Upsets Japan
The Asia qualifier produced the most dramatic storylines. Hong Kong — whose roster was only confirmed three days before the tournament started — swept Japan 2-0 in the upper bracket final to claim first place. In the lower bracket, Mongolia delivered the biggest upset of the qualifiers by defeating Japan 2-1, eliminating the heavily favored Japanese squad from contention and claiming the second qualifying spot.
Europe East and MEA: Records Broken
Europe East saw Lithuania and Romania advance to the main event. In the Middle East & Africa qualifier, Morocco defeated DR Congo in one of the shortest competitive LoL matches ever recorded — under 14 minutes — ranking it among the 12 fastest professional games in League of Legends history.
30 of 32 Spots Filled Ahead of Riyadh
With 14 qualifier spots added to the 16 direct invites (awarded via the ENC Ranking with a cut-off date of June 14, 2026), 30 of 32 ENC 2026 slots are now confirmed. Two wildcard spots remain: one for a GCC representative and one Solidarity Slot reserved for a developing region. The main event runs from November 21-29, 2026 in Riyadh — the first-ever League of Legends world title contested between nations rather than clubs.
New Zealand, Mongolia, Hong Kong, Morocco — ENC 2026 is shaping up to be one of the most diverse and unpredictable tournaments in League of Legends history.