The Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) has officially confirmed Dota 2 as the third title set to feature at the inaugural Esports Nations Cup (ENC), which will debut in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in November 2026.

The announcement sees the Valve MOBA join the growing ENC lineup, with 32 national teams set to compete for national pride rather than simply representing their organization.

Each team will be made up of the best five Dota 2 players from their respective country, battling through a group stage and playoffs to crown the first-ever ENC Dota 2 champions.

Dota 2 Esports Nations Cup Format & Schedule

The Dota 2 competition will run from November 2 to November 8, 2026, the ENC’s debut week in Riyadh.

The event begins with a round-robin group stage, featuring four groups of eight teams. From there, the top 16 nations advance to a single-elimination playoff bracket, where the stakes are significantly raised.

• Group stage: Best-of-one
• Playoffs (excluding final): Best-of-three
• Grand final: Best-of-five

Only two teams will make it to the final day, where a full best-of-five series will decide which nation claims the first Dota 2 title in ENC history.

Ranking System and Qualification Explained

A total of 32 national teams will qualify for the Dota 2 event at ENC 2026, split across three qualification routes:

• 16 direct invites via the Dota 2 National Team Ranking
• 14 teams from regional online qualifiers
• 2 Wildcard slots

The National Team Ranking will be calculated using results from Tier 1 Dota 2 competitions, beginning on June 8, 2025. Players earn points based on their placements at official events, with points shared equally among all teammates who participated. Each nation’s ranking total is determined by the combined points of the top five players on its submitted roster.

The ranking cut-off date is June 7, 2026, after which direct invites will be locked in.

Regional online qualifiers will take place between June 16 and July 5, 2026, with exact dates to be confirmed. These will be run as double-elimination brackets across the following regions:

• North America (1 slot)
• South America (2)
• Western Europe (2)
• Eastern Europe (2)
• Middle East, North Africa & Central Asia (2)
• Central & South Africa (1)
• South & East Asia (2)
• Southeast Asia & Oceania (2)

Dota 2 joins Trackmania and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang as games on the ENC lineup for 2026, with a total of 16 games to be announced across the event.