Version 5 - May 5th, 2026
The following conditions must be met in order to participate in the Esports Nations Cup.
1.1 Participant Eligibility Requirements
1.1.1 Age and Gender Restriction
All participants must be at least thirteen (13) years old at the time of the first mandatory day of the competition (including qualifiers). Participants must also comply with the publisher’s age requirements for the specific game title. Higher age limits may apply depending on the applicable Game Title Rulebook.
There is no restriction on a player's gender or the gender composition of a team, unless explicitly stated in a specific game's rulebook. By default, mixed-gender rosters are allowed.
1.1.2 Legal Capacity for Minors
If a participant is a minor (under the age of 18), the following additional conditions apply to ensure legal compliance:
- Parental/Guardian Consent: The participant must provide the EF with a signed, notarized Parental or Legal Guardian Consent Form.
- Contractual Indemnity: A parent or legal guardian must co-sign all participation waivers, player agreements, prize money declarations, and releases, and must provide an Indemnity Agreement to EF against any claims arising from the minor's participation or subsequent voiding of contracts.
- Live Event Chaperone: For the ENC Main Event, a minor must be accompanied by a parent, legal guardian, or an EF-approved chaperone.
1.2 Country/Territory Representation and Limitations
1.2.1 Definitions
- ENC Season: The period for a Game Title that begins two (2) weeks prior to the start of its applicable Qualifier and concludes at the end of the Main Event for that title.
- ENC Off-Season: Any period outside of the defined ENC Season.
- Home Country/Territory Determination: A participant's home country/territory is determined by citizenship. The list of eligible countries/territories for participation will be available in each specific Game Title rulebook.
1.2.2 General Principle
Each participant must select one (1) country/territory to represent across the ENC Season:
- A participant may represent the same country/territory across multiple game titles, provided those titles do not overlap in schedule during the Main Event.
- A participant may not attempt to qualify for the same ENC event through more than one (1) national or regional qualifier.
- The participant must compete exclusively under the chosen country/territory and its corresponding regional ecosystem as designated by EF.
1.2.2.1 Scope of Application
This restriction applies to all stages of the competition, including qualifiers, regional playoffs, publisher-sanctioned pre-qualifiers, and the Main Event, for both team-based and individual titles.The rule extends to both team-based and individual titles, irrespective of the participant’s place of residence, server preference, or contractual affiliation.
1.2.3 Citizenship Duration Requirement
A player must hold valid citizenship for the country/territory they represent for a minimum continuous period of one (1) year prior to the national roster lock date. The citizenship must also remain valid for at least six (6) months after the conclusion of the respective ENC Main Event.
A proof of citizenship status and its duration must be provided to EF upon request.
1.2.4 National Team Designation and Nationality Switching
A player who holds multiple citizenships may elect to represent the national team of any country/territory of which they are a legal citizen. However, a player may change their designated national team only during the ENC off-season:
- Two (2) weeks prior to the start of the applicable Game Title Regional Qualifier or Invite, the player’s national-team designation shall become irrevocably locked for that title for the remainder of the ENC edition, until the conclusion of the Main Event. This period constitutes the ENC season period for that title.
- A player may request to represent another country/territory of which they are a legal citizen at any time during the ENC off-season, limited to one request per off-season. Each such request shall be subject to review and approval by the EF. Once such request is approved, the change shall apply for the relevant ENC edition, except in exceptional and duly justified circumstances as defined herein.
1.2.5 Recognized Exceptions to National Representation Limit
Exceptions may be considered by the EF in specific and verifiable circumstances. The following are examples, but not exhaustive:
- The player loses the citizenship of their currently active home country/territory.
- Geopolitical conflicts, governmental sanctions, or other force majeure circumstances that prevent participation under the designated nationality (this applies only to players holding dual or multiple recognized citizenships).
- A player’s country/territory ceases to exist, merges, or splits into one or more newly recognized sovereign entities.
- Cases of team merger or unification for competitive or developmental purposes (e.g., a consolidated “Great Britain Team”).
1.2.6 Request Procedure and Authority
In all circumstances requiring an exception or a switch, the player must:
- Submit a formal written request to the EF.
- Provide supporting documentation evidencing citizenship status and, for exception requests, sufficient evidence of the claimed exceptional circumstance.
The EF reserves the right to approve, deny, or impose additional conditions on the change of representation at its sole and absolute discretion.
1.3 Player Nomination and Selection
1.3.1 Nomination Pathways & Timelines
Players may be nominated through one (1) of the following pathways:
- Performance-Based Ranking: Determined by the Publisher and/or EF (for individual titles and applicable team titles).
- National Coach Selection: Selection through games’ national coaches (for team titles where a ranking methodology is not applicable).
- National or Regional Qualifier: Qualification through a national and/or regional qualifier, where applicable.
Submission Deadlines & Requirements
Strict adherence to the following timeline is mandatory for all participating countries/territories and players. Failure to meet these deadlines may result in the forfeiture of the invitation slot and deny any participation to national or regional qualifiers.
Final Roster Deadline
All rosters for every title must be submitted no later than May 10, 2026, at 23:59 AST.
Solo Title Eligibility
For individual titles, invitations will be issued strictly according to the nationality listed in the player’s official publisher-side profile or ranking account.
If a player wishes to change their represented nationality from what is currently on record, they must submit a formal request via the [Official Nationality Change Form]. Nationality change requests must be submitted and approved prior to the roster deadline (April 30, 2026, 23:59 AST).
Requests may require supporting documentation (e.g., valid passport).
1.3.2 Selection Criteria and Communication
Competitive eligibility requirements specific to each title may be defined and enforced separately by the relevant game publisher and/or EF. Such criteria will be set and communicated prior to the start of the qualification process.
All criteria shall be made publicly available through official ENC communication channels.
1.3.3 Verification and Oversight
The EF reserves the right to verify the competitive background and performance data of any player. False declarations, manipulated results, or any attempt to misrepresent one’s competitive standing may result in disqualification, suspension, or other disciplinary measures.
1.4 Player and Country/Territory Representation Limitations
1.4.1 Team-Based Titles
A. Player “Professional” Status Definition
The EF reserves the right to designate a player as a "Professional" based on their status and history within their respective gaming ecosystem. While each case is reviewed individually, the EF primarily utilizes the following criteria as indicators of professional status:
- Consistent participation in S-Tier or A-Tier tournaments, or active membership in the premier league of a specific game title. For the purposes of these criteria, S-Tier tournaments are defined as international competitions, while A-Tier tournaments are competitions that provide a direct or indirect qualification pathway to international events.
- Current contractual engagement with an esports club providing for gross monthly compensation totaling at least $500 USD.
- Cumulative career prize money earnings exceeding $50,000 USD in the last 5 years.
B. Organizational Representation Limit (Professional Players Only)
To maintain the integrity and national representation of ENC teams, the following limit applies only to Professional Players. Players outside of that definition are not subject to these restrictions. Notwithstanding the above, EF reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to overrule the status of any Player found to be in abusive or deliberate circumvention of the Professional Status Definition.
Eligibility for a National Roster in team-based titles is subject to organizational caps. To ensure diverse representation, no single esports organization or club may have more than “X” of its contracted players on the same National Roster simultaneously. This limit applies to all players under active professional or developmental contracts with the entity in question.
By way of illustration:
- In a 5v5 format, a maximum of three (3) players from the same organization is permitted;
- In a 3v3 or 4v4 format, a maximum of two (2) players from the same organization is permitted.
- In a 2v2 format, a maximum of one (1) player from the same organization is permitted.
This limit must be continuously maintained from three (3) to six (6) months (depending on the game title) prior to the relevant Regional Qualifier or national selection, and sustained through the conclusion of the ENC Main Event.
- For clarity, if a player signs with a professional organization after the conclusion of the Qualifier or after submission of the Official Roster to EF, and such signing causes this rule to be violated (whether impacting core roster players or substitute players), the situation shall be subject to EF review and written approval.
- EF reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to require roster changes, deny eligibility of the affected player(s), or apply sanctions if compliance with this rule cannot be maintained.
C. Roster Registration & Composition
Each participating Country/Territory is solely responsible for registering its official roster by the date specified in the corresponding Game-Specific Rulebook. Furthermore, each country/territory is limited to a maximum of one (1) national team for the ENC Main Event per team-based game title.
While qualifiers may include multiple teams from the same country/territory, only the single top-performing team per country/territory will be eligible to advance to the Main Event, unless otherwise defined in the Game-Specific Rulebook.National teams may only be registered by the national entity and/or country/territory manager approved by EF, EF itself, and/or the applicable Game Publisher.
The Official Roster shall be composed of the following:
- A Core Roster (the number of players required to compete for the game title)
- One (1) Game Coach (if applicable)
- One (1) to two (2) Substitute Players, as defined within the Game-Specific Rulebook.
Substitute Players must adhere to all roster composition rules, including the organizational representation limit detailed in section B. In a 5-player core roster where:
- 3 players are from Team A, and
- 2 players are from Team B,
- A substitute from Team B or any other organization is permitted.
- A substitute from Team A would not be permitted.
For clarity, substitutes will not be eligible to participate in the ENC Finals. Each country or territory will be required to submit a second roster for each title, confirming the final core lineup competing in the Finals.
Countries or Territories may engage additional staff (e.g., strategic coaches, physiotherapists, nutritionists) at their own discretion. The country/territory shall bear all associated costs for individuals who are not included on the Final Roster. EF shall not be responsible for any expenses related to these individuals.
1.4.2 Solo-Based Titles
A. Solo-Based Titles Specific Rules
For solo-based game titles, a maximum of two (2) players per country/territory may qualify for or participate in the ENC Main Event. In cases involving direct invitations, only the single highest-ranked player from any given country/territory will be eligible to receive an invite.
B. Verification and Compliance
Τhe EF may request proof of contractual status from participating players and organizations at any stage of the qualification or competition process.
Any attempt to conceal, misrepresent, or circumvent the contractual composition of a team shall constitute a breach of ENC Regulations and may result in disciplinary measures, including disqualification, suspension, or loss of eligibility for future ENC events.
1.5 Country and Territory Regional Allocation
The regional allocation will be made available within the respective Game Title Rulebook and is primarily the responsibility of the game publisher. The EF reserves the right to determine or modify such allocation directly in specific cases.
1.6 Eligibility and Disciplinary Sanctions
1.6.1 Eligibility and Recognition of Sanctions
ENC reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to disqualify any player currently subject to a suspension or ban issued by the EF (including EWC events), game publishers, tournament organizers, or any recognized third-party integrity body. To safeguard the competitive integrity of the ENC, such sanctions may be recognized and enforced across different titles and ecosystems regardless of their origin.
1.6.2 Rule Hierarchy and Interpretation
In the event of a conflict or discrepancy between this ruleset and a specific game title’s rulebook, this ruleset shall prevail. However, if a conflict impacts gameplay clarity or competitive fairness, the EF may, upon request, conduct a formal review. The EF will subsequently issue a reasoned, final, and binding decision specifying which rules apply to the matter at hand.