The Philippines’ buildup for the inaugural Esports Nations Cup (ENC) will have to wait a little longer after the Esports Foundation (EF) announced Tuesday that the nation-based global tournament has been postponed from November 2026 to November 2027.
Originally scheduled to debut in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia this November, the ENC was moved following what the EF described as an ongoing assessment of the wider regional situation and consultations with key stakeholders involved in the competition.
In a statement, the EF said the postponement was made to provide “certainty and stability” for national teams, publishers, partners and fans ahead of the tournament’s inaugural staging. The competition will involve more than 100 countries and territories from around the world.
“The decision to postpone the Esports Nations Cup was not taken lightly. The response from National Team Partners, publishers, players and communities around the world has shown us how much potential this competition has. We owe them an inaugural ENC delivered under the right conditions and at the level this idea deserves.” said EF CEO Ralf Reichert.
The delay temporarily halts what has been a busy year of preparations for the Philippines.
Since being named an official National Team Partner earlier this year, the Philippine Esports Organization (PeSO) had begun assembling national team structures across multiple titles, appointing coaches and exploring qualification and selection procedures for Filipino players.
PeSO officials have described the ENC as an opportunity to expand the country’s national team program beyond its traditional medal prospects and engage more gaming communities. The tournament’s format would have allowed nations to field teams across multiple game titles, including Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, Dota 2, Valorant, Honor of Kings, League of Legends and PUBG Mobile.
The Philippines had already named national team coaches for several marquee titles, with Francis “Ducky” Glindro for MLBB; Gerald “Tgee” Gelacio for Honor of Kings; Jose Carlo “RBTX” Jamir for Valorant; Josef “JL” Brazal for Dota 2; Ralph Andrei “Leathergoods” Llabresas for League of Legends; and Ryan “4thRow” Canlas for PUBG Mobile.
Despite the postponement, the EF said all existing commitments under the ENC Development Fund will remain in place, and that ecosystem-building efforts with national federations and stakeholders will continue throughout the next year. The organization added that it will work closely with partners regarding the revised competition calendar, qualification pathways and other implications of the new timeline.