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Great Britain to be represented at Esports Nations Cup 2026 By UK-Based Collective
Yesterday, the Esports Foundation (EF) awarded National Team Partner status to organizations and individuals across more than 100 countries and territories. The concerted effort was all in preparation for the Esports Nations Cup (ENC) in November, a global nation-based esports competition. UK now joins the growing assembly of countries set to compete later this year in Riyadh.
UK-Based Collective Appointed as National Team Partner for GB
Spearheaded by British Esports, the national esports federation, it is joined by several partners in a combined delegation to represent Great Britain at the inaugural ENC.
“British Esports is delighted to be working in unison with a host of fantastic partners to represent Great Britain at the inaugural Esports Nations Cup. We look forward to seeing Jeff select the best talent to give Great Britain the best possible chance of success and make the UK esports community proud. Good luck to all involved” – Dave Martin, British Esports Senior Vice President.
Aside from British Esports, the reports confirm that the following UK-based organizations will function as partners: Esports Wales, Fnatic, Scottish Esports, The English Football Association (FA) via England Gaming, and The UK Esports Team Committee (UKETC). Together these 6 entities will function as a collective Official National Team Partner for ENC participation.
British Esports is reported to lead the formation of the national team across multiple game titles, as well as ‘establish the structures required to support participation and the growth of esports in the country.’
Jeff Simpkins (Chair of UKETC) has been appointed National Team Manager for Great Britain, accompanied by a stacked supporting cast of industry veterans including Michael “ODEE” O’Dell (Scan Computers Director of Gaming and Esports), Grant Rousseau (NIP Group COO) and Saahib Reehal (Esports and Gaming Lead at The FA).
Simpkins will be responsible for the selection of coaches for each game title, who he will then work with for player selection.
“It’s a real honor to be appointed as National Team Manager for Great Britain at the inaugural Esports Nations Cup. Representing your country in any capacity is an incredible experience, but to do so at this scale, across 16 titles, is what makes this a really unique competition.
It’s a responsibility that I take very seriously and I’m looking forward to building competitive teams alongside a group of very strong coaches, while collectively managing the demands that come with representing Great Britain on the international stage.” – Jeff Simpkins, Great Britain National Team Manager.
Top Talents Already Teased
An array of the top British esport talents have already been featured in the GB announcement video, including:
- Jack “ApparentlyJack” Benton (Rocket League | Geekay Esports)
- Jack “Doki” Robertson (Rainbow Six Siege | G2 Esports)
- Dan “Stingray” Ray (FC 26 | GEN City)
- Luke “TeaBone” Crafer (PUBG | Acend)
- Thomas “Pac” Cole (Trackmania | Team Vitality)
- Matthew “Zuni” Archibald (Apex Legends | Citadel Gaming)
The ENC – Key Things to Note
The ENC is set to launch in Riyadh in November, running from the 2nd to the 29th. The inaugural year will be in Riyadh; however, the tournament will function on a rotating city model (probably meant to mimic the Olympics or other massive esports tournaments).
Just to remind our readers, the ENC is a biennial event, designed to ‘complement the annual Club-based Esports World Cup (EWC). With these two events in place, the idea is to ‘provide a stable structure for players and long-term investment in national team progress’ according to the announcements.
A total of $45M has been made available for this edition of the ENC, with $20M of it going to the prize pool paid directly to players and coaches and $5M for club incentives. The remaining $20M is earmarked for the ENC Development fund, where it will be used to support the Official National Team Partners with ‘logistics, travel, programme operations, national team marketing, and long-term growth of national team pathways.’
The 16 titles to play for at the ENC 2026 are:
| Game Title |
| Apex Legends |
| Chess |
| Counter-Strike 2 |
| Dota 2 |
| FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves |
| FC 26 |
| Honor of Kings |
| League of Legends |
| Mobile Legends Bang Bang |
| PUBG Battlegrounds |
| PUBG Mobile |
| Rainbow Six Siege |
| Rocket LEague |
| Trackmania |
| VALORANT |
| Final Title TBC |
“This is a positive step forward for esports across Great Britain. This collective collaboration strengthens player development pathways, which is essential for the long-term growth of the ecosystem. It creates an important opportunity for Scottish players to compete alongside the best talent from across the home nations.” – Mark McCready, Scottish Esports Chief Executive.
“The Esports Nations Cup introduces something esports had never had before: a global system for national teams at an unprecedented scale. The response we received from across the world shows that communities are ready for this next step. Together with our partners, we are building the structures that will allow players to represent their nations and compete on the biggest stage in esports. With more than 100 nations now part of the system, the Esports Nations Cup moves from concept to reality – establishing national esports as a lasting part of the global competitive landscape.” – Ralf Reichert, CEO of The Esports Foundation.
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Featured Image Credit: ENC
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Esports Nations Cup 2026 Unveils $45 Million Prize & Development Fund
