NODWIN Gaming to Lead India's Esports Team for Historic 2026 Nations Cup

The appointment reflects NODWIN Gaming's role in shaping India's esports ecosystem over more than a decade, delivering national competitions, operating publisher-led circuits, and building connections across players, creators and partners, according to a press release.

As India's National Team Partner, NODWIN Gaming will spearhead team formation, mobilise grassroots and competitive communities, support coaches across game titles, and coordinate with publishers, Clubs, and ecosystem stakeholders to establish the pathways needed for Indian players to represent the country on the global stage.

Nimish Raut, Global Head of Esports: Partnerships & Special Projects at NODWIN Gaming, commented, "The Esports Nations Cup represents a defining shift in how competitive gaming is structured globally, and for a country like India, this is a truly transformative opportunity. We have one of the largest and most passionate gaming communities in the world, but until now, there hasn't been a unified pathway for players to represent the country on a global stage. As the National Team Partner, our focus will be on building that structure from the ground up, identifying and nurturing talent across titles, and creating a high-performance environment that enables Indian players to compete at the highest level. We are excited to work closely with the EF to unlock this next phase of growth for Indian esports and establish a sustainable foundation for the future."

NODWIN Gaming joins a global roster of National Team Partners appointed across more than 100 nations, as part of the Esports Nations Cup's partnership-led model for national team development. The Esports Foundation received more than 630 applications from 150 countries and territories, reflecting the scale of global interest in nation-based esports. The full list of National Team Partners is available on the ENC website and will be updated as additional appointments are confirmed.

The Esports Nations Cup introduces a structured global framework for national teams at scale, adding a new layer to the esports ecosystem alongside club-based competition. Designed to complement existing structures, the ENC works with local stakeholders closest to the sport to strengthen connections, enable participation, and support long-term national development.

"India is a country full of passionate esports fans, building up to be a not-so-silent powerhouse of esports on the global stage", said Hans Jagnow, Director, Special Projects, The Esports Foundation. "NODWIN Gaming has been a key architect of the Indian community, and we couldn't think of anyone better to bring together the ENC National Team for India and spark national pride for the players competing for a place in Riyadh."

Last year, it partnered with the EWCF to manage media rights sales across South Asia for the Esports World Cup and also collaborated with Chess.com and ChessBase India to build the future of chess esports in India, aligning with chess's inclusion at the inaugural ENC. With a strong foundation in community building, content, and large-scale event execution, the company is well positioned to drive talent development, fan engagement, and international competitiveness as part of ENC 2026.

ENC 2026 is backed by a total investment of $45 million (approx INR 414 crore), including $20 million (approx INR 184 crore) in prize money for players and coaches across 16 titles, $5 million (approx INR 46 crore) in Club incentives, and $20 million (approx INR 184 crore) dedicated to national team development.

The tournament will feature a placement-based prize structure with equal payouts across titles, where first place earns $50,000 (approx INR 46 lakh) per player, second place earns $30,000 (approx INR 28 lakh), and third place earns $15,000 (approx INR 14 lakh), with payouts scaling for team-based titles.

The tournament will feature Chess, PUBG Mobile, Rocket League, DOTA 2, VALORANT, Counter-Strike 2, PUBG: Battlegrounds, Fatal Fury, League of Legends, Trackmania, Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege, EA SPORTS FC 26, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, Honour of Kings, and Apex Legends.

The ENC will launch in Riyadh in November 2026 before moving to a rotating city model. The biennial ENC complements the annual Club-based Esports World Cup (EWC), providing a stable structure for players and long-term investment in national team programmes.

- ANI