Stars Shine and Underdogs Triumph in Dota 2 Qualifiers for Esports Nations Cup 2026

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (July 2, 2026) - The Esports Foundation (EF) today announced the completion of the online regional qualifiers for the Dota 2 tournament at the Esports Nations Cup 2026 (ENC), the global nation-based esports competition set to debut in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from November 2-29, 2026.

A total of 32 teams will compete in the Dota 2 tournament at ENC 2026. 16 countries and territories received direct invitations through the ENC Rankings last week, which use points obtained from competing and placing in a selected set of Dota 2 competitions.

Now, 14 more teams have earned their spot in the main event through online regional qualifiers across North America, South America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, MENA/Central Asia, Southeast Asia/Oceania, South/East Asia, and Sub-Saharan Africa. An additional slot has gone to the team representing Saudi Arabia, who secured the Host Region Wildcard as the next highest-placing competitor from the GCC region.

To complete the line-up, one Solidarity Wildcard slot remains for an underrepresented region to compete on the world stage, which will be announced at the end of August once all ENC qualifiers have been completed.

Here’s the full list of countries and territories that qualified through online regional qualifiers:

North America: Canada
South America: Peru, Ecuador
Western Europe: Finland, Great Britain
Eastern Europe: Czechia, Greece
MENA/Central Asia: Lebanon, Kyrgyzstan
Southeast Asia/Oceania: Philippines, Thailand
South/East Asia: Mongolia, Pakistan
Sub-Saharan Africa: South Africa
Host Region Slot: Saudi Arabia

Canada, as many expected, made relatively easy work of the rest of the North American qualifier, relying on the starpower and international experience of proven players like Arteezy, Aui_2000, and Fly. Peru dominated South America in similar fashion, demonstrating their incredible Dota 2 pedigree. Czechia and Lebanon both secured the top spot in their respective qualifiers on the shoulders of their established pro duos as well.

But while these teams utilized their star power to dominate, others faced a massive uphill battle in their respective qualifiers. After an early loss to Bolivia, Ecuador went on a fantastic lower bracket run, knocking off Chile and Argentina before qualifying for their very first ENC title in dramatic fashion: a comeback win after losing the first game of their rematch against Bolivia. Great Britain encountered a similar path in Western Europe, rallying from a loss to France with wins against Switzerland and Belgium before beating France in their rematch. Greece were knocked into the lower bracket by Czechia, but they still managed to qualify with three straight wins against Latvia, Romania, and Serbia.

For Lebanon, Mongolia, and Kyrgyzstan, just qualifying is a significant success for each nation’s overall ENC pursuits, as Dota 2 represents just the second title that they have each successfully qualified for. In contrast, Canada has now successfully qualified for their eighth title so far, tying Brazil, France, and the People’s Republic of China, and sitting behind only the United States who has 10.

The full list of qualified players and nations can be viewed directly on the Dota 2 page of the ENC website.

The Dota 2 tournament at ENC will begin on November 2 and will conclude with the Grand Final on November 8. The first stage will be a 32-team round-robin group stage featuring four groups of eight teams The two four from each group will advance to the Playoffs, a single-elimination bracket concluding with a best-of-five Grand Final.

About the Esports Nations Cup

The Esports Nations Cup (ENC) is a biennial global esports competition created by the Esports Foundation (EF) that brings national pride to the world stage. Launching in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in 2026, the ENC will feature the world’s best players competing not for their clubs, but for their countries and territories, across a lineup of leading esports titles. Built in collaboration with game partners, clubs, and esports organizations, the ENC establishes the first recurring, large-scale platform for national teams in esports. Beyond competition, it aims to fuel fandom, inspire heroes, and provide sustainable pathways for nations, players, and partners to grow within the global esports ecosystem. esportsnationscup.com

Esports Nations Cup media contact:
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