The Esports World Cup Basis (EWCF) has formally confirmed Dota 2 because the third title set to characteristic on the inaugural Esports Nations Cup (ENC), which can debut in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in November 2026.
The announcement sees the Valve MOBA be part of the rising ENC lineup, with 32 nationwide groups set to compete for nationwide satisfaction slightly than merely representing their group.
Every group can be made up of the very best 5 Dota 2 gamers from their respective nation, battling by means of a bunch stage and playoffs to crown the first-ever ENC Dota 2 champions.
Dota 2 Esports Nations Cup Format & Schedule
The Dota 2 competitors will run from November 2 to November 8, 2026, the ENC’s debut week in Riyadh.
The occasion begins with a round-robin group stage, that includes 4 teams of eight groups. From there, the highest 16 nations advance to a single-elimination playoff bracket, the place the stakes are considerably raised.
Group stage: Greatest-of-one
Playoffs (excluding ultimate): Greatest-of-three
Grand ultimate: Greatest-of-five
Solely two groups will make it to the ultimate day, the place a full best-of-five collection will resolve which nation claims the primary Dota 2 title in ENC historical past.
Rating System and Qualification Defined
A complete of 32 nationwide groups will qualify for the Dota 2 occasion at ENC 2026, break up throughout three qualification routes:
16 direct invitations by way of the Dota 2 Nationwide Staff Rating
14 groups from regional on-line qualifiers
2 Wildcard slots
The Nationwide Staff Rating can be calculated utilizing outcomes from Tier 1 Dota 2 competitions, starting on June 8, 2025. Gamers earn factors primarily based on their placements at official occasions, with factors shared equally amongst all teammates who participated. Every nation’s rating complete is decided by the mixed factors of the highest 5 gamers on its submitted roster.
The rating closing date is June 7, 2026, after which direct invitations can be locked in.
Regional on-line qualifiers will happen between June 16 and July 5, 2026, with actual dates to be confirmed. These can be run as double-elimination brackets throughout the next areas:
North America (1 slot)
South America (2)
Western Europe (2)
Jap Europe (2)
Center East, North Africa & Central Asia (2)
Central & South Africa (1)
South & East Asia (2)
Southeast Asia & Oceania (2)
Dota 2 joins Trackmania and Cellular Legends: Bang Bang as video games on the ENC lineup for 2026, with a complete of 16 video games to be introduced throughout the occasion.
