The Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) has announced Chess.com, SNK and MOONTON Games as publishing partners for the inaugural Esports Nations Cup.
The trio of companies have become an Official Publisher of the inaugural esports tournament, which will see nations compete against each other across various games.
As an Official Publisher for the Esports Nations Cup, Chess.com, SNK, and MOONTON will collaborate with the event organiser to develop qualification paths and tournament formats for their titles. According to a release, the collaboration on formats will ensure ‘a consistent global structure.’
The launch of the Esports Nations Cup follows the creation of the Esports World Cup, a multi-title event in Saudi Arabia that features a vast selection of titles and the world’s biggest esports organisation.
“By partnering closely with publishers, we can make the Esports Nations Cup truly player-centric, and give players the opportunity to represent their country in games that define their careers,” said Ralf Reichert, CEO of the Esports World Cup Foundation.
“With the seven partners announced so far as close collaborators, we can activate players worldwide to deliver a Nations Cup that feels earned for players and real for fans, and build a stage that national teams can aspire to for years to come.”
Esports Nations Cup’s Continued Expansion
Chess.com, SNK, and MOONTON join Electronic Arts (EA), KRAFTON, Tencent, and Ubisoft as publishers supporting the event. Debuting in Riyadh in November 2026, the event is set to attract national teams from across the world to compete in team-based and individual esports competitions.
While the total number of publishers partnering with the Esports Nations Cup is increasing, the organiser hasn’t revealed which titles will feature as part of the bi-annual tournament.
Despite the creation of a country-based tournament being an exciting prospect, fans continue to raise concerns surrounding Saudi Arabia’s investment in esports. Many within the community have described the investment as a form of sportswashing to distract from its human rights record.
