India Names Star Coaches for Esports Nations Cup 2026 Debut in Riyadh

This comes as the Esports Foundation (EF) confirmed the appointment of over 700 Game Coaches representing the NTPs from more than 100 nations and territories, underlining the global scale of the ENC. As the nation's National Team Partner (NTP), NODWIN Gaming has appointed coaches across key titles who will now be responsible for identifying players, defining team strategy, and building competitive lineups, as per a press release.

Moin Ejaz (NO_Chanc3) will lead India's DOTA 2 efforts, bringing more than a decade of competitive experience, which includes a historic bronze medal for India at the Commonwealth Esports Championships 2022 in Birmingham. Rahul (Ayogi) has been appointed as the coach for Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI). Over the years, as an analyst, manager, and coach, he has guided teams like Blind Esports and Team SouL to major titles, including BGMI Pro Series 2023, BGMI Masters Series Season 3, Chennai Esports Global Championship 2025, and BGIS 2026.

Abhishek Bajaj (GodspeedxD) steps in as the VALORANT coach, backed by a strong coaching resume of winning titles with teams such as Reckoning Esports, Bleed Esports, Grayfox Esports, and Velocity Esports. In League of Legends, Pankaj Upadhyay (KAKA) will oversee the team, widely regarded as one of India's top players, having represented the country multiple times on the international stage.

For MOBA Legends: 5v5!, Steve Vitug (Dale) from the Philippines brings significant international experience, having led teams to top-six finishes at the World Championship with Omega Esports in 2021 and Falcon Esports in 2023. Pratik Mehra (Aurum) takes on the role of coach for PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS, known for his stint with Fnatic, where he led the team to a win at PUBG Mobile All Stars India 2019, followed by a runner-up finish at PUBG Mobile India Series 2020 and a top-eight finish at the Peacekeeper Elite Championship 2019.

Ashrit Goyal (notyAshritB) has been named coach for Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege, with experience that includes a second-place finish at South Asia Nationals 2022 and consistent top-seven finishes across Asia Pacific competitions. Nirjhar Mitra (jocse) will guide India's Rocket League campaign, having represented India at the Asian Nations Cup qualifiers and the Commonwealth Esports Championships 2022 regional finals, along with winning the Esportz Premier Series 2022.

Rounding out the line-up, Indonesian coach Gradyano Valendy (Rinnqt) has been brought in for Honor of Kings. He brings international exposure from coaching Rex Regum Qeon and competing in qualification pathways for both the Esports World Cup 2024 and the Honor of Kings World Championship 2024.

"The appointment of coaches marks a crucial milestone in India's journey towards the Esports Nations Cup 2026. Each coach has been selected for their deep understanding of the game, competitive experience, and ability to identify and nurture talent within their respective titles. We are confident that this coaching group will lay a solid foundation for India's campaign on the global stage," said Nimish Raut, Global Head of Esports: Partnerships & Special Projects, NODWIN Gaming.

The overall coaching pool reflects the breadth of global esports. Drawn from more than 90 leading esports organisations across the world, the group spans world champions, established leaders and emerging individuals building local scenes, connecting team development directly to the highest level of global competition.

"The Esports Nations Cup is being built step by step, and appointing team coaches is the next critical layer in that structure," said Ralf Reichert, CEO of the Esports Foundation. "If teams are what make esports intuitive for a mainstream audience, coaches are what make them credible for players and fans. They bring identity, direction, and standards to each team. With more than 700 coaches now in place across over 100 National Team Partners, we're turning the idea of nation-based competition into something people can understand instantly and believe in -- a system that is structured, real, and ready to perform on the world stage," he added.

Attention now turns to finalising player selections, as teams take shape ahead of the ENC's global qualification pathway. The roster submission date is May 10, with announcements beginning mid-May. Competitors in solo-player games as well as in the remaining team-based titles will be identified through full open qualifiers, with details to be announced in the coming weeks.

The ENC introduces nation-based competition to the global esports calendar in a structured and recurring format. By enabling nations and territories to organise teams, develop talent pathways and compete on a global stage, the ENC creates new opportunities for players while strengthening connections between local ecosystems and international competition.

- ANI