According to a report by South Korean publication Sports Seoul, the Korea eSports Association (KeSPA) has withdrawn from the Esports Nations Cup 2026.*
Update: See the statement below from the Esports Foundation, which confirmed “The Esports Foundation informed KeSPA that we would not be moving forward together as our national partner for the Esports Nations Cup 2026.”
KeSPA, which acts as a regulator, promoter, and tournament organizer in South Korea, was selected for the role of National Team Partner by the Esports Foundation in March, following the January applications.
Only a few short days ago, hundreds of coaches for various esports titles were announced. South Korea’s nominees were included in that information, with South Korea’s coaches including former KT Rolster coach Kang ‘Hirai’ Dong-hoon as League of Legends coach and Nongshim RedForce coach, Kim ‘SilKanoN’ Gyeong-min, for Valorant.
Despite the seemingly normal progress, by the next day, the Republic of Korea (the formal name of South Korea) was conspicuously absent from the list of teams on the Esports Nations Cup site, leaving South Korea’s place in the competition uncertain.
The Esports Nations Cup site has now been updated to once again include the Republic of Korea, but now without listed National Team Managers or Partners.
Report outlines roster interference as a reason for potential withdrawal
The alleged withdrawal reportedly pertains to interference regarding player selection, with KeSPA reportedly feeling that its independence and selection system were undermined by pressure to include “high-profile players.”
Sports Seoul quoted an alleged esports official regarding the matter, who stated, “Interfering with the composition of a national team is crossing the line. Every country has its own system, and this is a sign of disrespect
“They promote the scale of the event, but considering the essence of international competition, one has to wonder if Korea should even attend.” (translated)
In a follow-up report, Sports Seoul quoted a KeSPA official, who stated, “The ENC’s direction did not align with the values and the rigorous national team selection system we have built. It is regrettable that we could not continue our collaboration.” (translated)
Will South Korea miss the Esports Nations Cup?
According to Sports Seoul, the publication received contact from the Esports Nations Cup, which stated, “Our commitment to having a Korean national team compete in the ENC remains unchanged.
“We will ensure the Korean eSports community is represented in a manner befitting its global status. Over the next week, we will communicate directly with Korean players, coaches, and stakeholders.” (translated)
The statement was interpreted by the publication as an attempt to bypass the contentious selection process, allowing the Esports Federation to handpick South Korea’s competitors, something which the Korean Sports & Olympic Committee seemingly took issue with, providing the following statement to Sports Seoul:
“Only athletes selected through official member organizations are recognized as ‘National Representatives.’ It is impossible for a team that bypasses the Association to represent the nation.
“If individuals or teams participate independently, they are strictly prohibited from using the Korean national flag, the ‘Team Korea’ brand, or the title of ‘National Representative.'” (translated)
In the ENC structure, neither National Team Managers nor National Team Partners are technically necessary for individual rosters to compete, but confer certain benefits which South Korea may now miss out on.
Update: Insider Gaming has received the following statement from the Esports Foundation regarding South Korea’s representation at the Esports Nations Cup:
“The Esports Nations Cup exists to bring the world’s best players together under the colors of their country or territory, and to give fans the experience of national pride and the honor of representation in competitive esports. That purpose – the players, the fans, the nations and territories they represent – sits at the heart of every decision we take as organizer.
“A few days ago, the Esports Foundation informed KeSPA that we would not be moving forward together as our national partner for the Esports Nations Cup 2026. We recognize this is a demanding year for KeSPA given the Asian Games participation and the operational focus that brings and we wish them every success in the busy year ahead.
“Our responsibility is to deliver the best possible ENC for players, coaches and fans, and to ensure the Korean esports community is represented in a way that reflects its standing in world esports. In ENC, coach selections sit with national team managers and player selections are with the coaches; in some games or cases selections are made based on merit-based principles. International and domestic results and performance are at the core of ENC nominations to the national teams.
“The commitment to Korean players’ participation in ENC26 is unchanged. Over the coming week, we will engage directly with stakeholders across the Korean esports ecosystem, and with coaches and players, to align on the path forward so that the ENC26 Korean National Esports Team can compete at the level Korean fans and athletes deserve.”
The statement confirms that the decision was made on the Esports Foundation’s end, choosing to strip the body of National Team Partner status, echoing the earlier statement above that the EF would now pursue a different path to securing players and coaches.
Would KeSPA’s absence undermine the Esports Nations Cup? Let us know your thoughts on our Discord.
For more news, see every League of Legends coach at the Esports Nations Cup 2026.
Darragh is an Esports Journalist for Insider Gaming specialising in Counter-Strike. He loves to explore how esports teams work, or why they very often do not.
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