The esports industry has been thrown into chaos after the Esports Foundation has been forced to pivot yet again.
The first Esports Nations Cup has been postponed to November 2027 due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
This decision comes just three months before the competition was scheduled to begin, with the majority of qualifiers completed.
And the 100+ qualified nations across the event’s 16 tournaments have been left in limbo after months of preparation.
What Does The ENC Delay Mean for Qualified Teams?
With another year until the Esports Nations Cup takes place, it doesn’t seem feasible that qualified rosters or teams can remain.
A lot can change in a year. Metas will change, new superstars will debut, and all-time greats will retire.
And because of that, it’s difficult to believe that the Esports Foundation will be able to honour previous qualifiers.
Trying to do so would weaken the integrity of the tournaments and the level of teams, there’s no point unless the current best are able to participate.
As rosters change, so will the rankings which were used to invite participants in the majority of ENC tournaments.
As a result, letting qualified nations keep their spots would likely be unfair, so next year’s event will probably have to host the qualification process all over again.
However, this has not yet been confirmed, though the Esports Foundation has promised it will “work closely with National Team Partners, publishers and other stakeholders to provide clarity on the revised competition calendar, qualification pathways and other implications of the new timeline.”
Organisations representing nations will also want to be reimbursed after investing in trials, bootcamps, qualifiers, content and more.
However, this will likely be covered by the $20 million Development Fund, which was created to cover such costs.
The Esports Foundation has promised to honour all existing ENC Development Fund commitments to National Team Partners.
Insider Gaming has reached out to the EF for comment on the current state of qualification.
Should qualifiers be honoured, or should every nation have to start from scratch next year? Share your thoughts with us on the Insider Gaming Discord.
In other esports news, HECZ has offered to buy the “dopest PCs in the world” for the Call of Duty League. And for even more Insider Gaming delivered directly to your inbox, sign up for our newsletter.
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