Source: EF
The Esports Foundation (EF) has recently announced the appointment of around 700 coaches to represent National Team Partners from over 100 countries and regions worldwide for the upcoming Esports Nations Cup 2026 (ENC 2026).
Scheduled to take place in Riyadh from November 2 to 29, ENC 2026 is set to be a global national-team-based esports tournament. The player selection process has officially commenced, with final rosters expected to be finalized by May 10. Coaches will play a vital role in scouting players, devising team strategies, and forming competitive lineups.
These newly appointed coaches hail from over 90 major esports organizations worldwide. The complete list of national team coaches can be found on the official ENC website.
In South Korea, coaching staff for various titles has been confirmed, with national team formation currently in progress. Veteran coach Kang ‘Hirai’ Dong-hoon will lead the League of Legends team, while Im ‘Panda’ Chang-rok and Jang ‘YK’ Hyung-jun will coach Mobile Legends: Bang Bang and Honor of Kings teams respectively.
Furthermore, coaching appointments have been solidified for FPS and battle royale titles. Kim ‘LashK’ Dong-jun will coach PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS, Lee ‘Nova’ Si-heon will lead the Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege team, and Kim ‘SilKanon’ Gyeong-min will serve as coach for the VALORANT team. This diverse coaching staff lineup underscores the rich talent pool within the South Korean esports community.
The involvement of female coaches is also on the rise. Camila ‘Mia’ Lopez from Chile, with experience in PUBG MOBILE, will lead her team alongside Poland’s Nicole ‘Kehayoyo’ Kehayova.
Additionally, Sabrina ‘SYA’ Starke from Germany will coach the ‘Honor of Kings’ team, while Australia’s Angela ‘Kaylio’ Sun Zhou will manage the team for ‘Mobile Legends: Bang Bang.’ Moldova’s Felicia ‘Felly’ Sersac and Pakistan’s Saiyada ‘Skel’ Saman are among those set to lead teams from emerging esports markets in the ‘Valorant’ category.
Ralf Reichert, CEO of the EF, emphasized the significance of the national team coaches in shaping the Esports Nations Cup. He highlighted the coaches’ role in fostering trust among players and fans, providing direction, identity, and standards for each team. With over 700 coaches representing more than 100 National Team Partners, the concept of nation-based competition is being established as a structured system ready to compete on the global stage.
Coaches for remaining countries and regions, as well as those without current National Team Partners, will be announced in due course. As national team formation progresses, the player selection process is ongoing, with participants for individual titles and team-based games being chosen through open qualifiers. Detailed schedules will be unveiled in the upcoming weeks.
ENC serves as a platform for national-team-based competition within the global esports calendar, aiming to enhance the connection between regional esports ecosystems and the international competitive arena by enabling countries and regions to establish national teams and talent development systems for global competition.
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