NODWIN Gaming has been appointed as India’s official National Team Partner for the Esports Nations Cup 2026, marking a significant step in building a structured pathway for Indian players to compete on the global stage. The inaugural nation-based esports tournament is set to take place in Riyadh from November 2 to 29, 2026.

According to a press release issued by NODWIN Gaming, the appointment by the Esports Foundation reflects the company’s long-standing role in shaping India’s esports ecosystem through national competitions, publisher-led circuits and community building over the past decade.

As part of its mandate, NODWIN Gaming will lead India’s national team development, including team formation, grassroots mobilisation and coordination with publishers, clubs and other stakeholders. The company will also support coaching across multiple game titles and build structured pathways to enable Indian players to represent the country internationally.

Commenting on the development, Nimish Raut, Global Head of Esports: Partnerships & Special Projects at NODWIN Gaming, described the Esports Nations Cup as a transformative opportunity for India. He said that while the country has one of the largest and most passionate gaming communities, it has lacked a unified structure for national representation. The focus, he added, will be on identifying and nurturing talent while creating a high-performance environment for global competition.

NODWIN Gaming joins a growing list of National Team Partners across more than 100 countries under the Esports Nations Cup’s partnership-led model. The Esports Foundation received over 630 applications from 150 countries and territories, highlighting the scale of global interest in the competition.

The Esports Nations Cup introduces a new framework for national teams, complementing existing club-based competitions. It aims to strengthen local ecosystems by working closely with stakeholders to enable participation and long-term development. Hans Jagnow, Director of Special Projects at the Esports Foundation, said India is emerging as a major force in global esports and noted that NODWIN Gaming’s role in building the Indian ecosystem makes it a natural choice to lead the national team initiative.

With a strong track record in organising large-scale tournaments and expanding esports ecosystems across South Asia and international markets, NODWIN Gaming brings operational expertise to the role. The company has also worked on media rights for the Esports World Cup in South Asia and collaborated on initiatives to promote chess esports in India, aligning with its inclusion in the upcoming tournament.

The Esports Nations Cup 2026 is backed by a total investment of $45 million, including $20 million in prize money for players and coaches across 16 titles, $5 million in club incentives and $20 million dedicated to national team development. The tournament will feature a wide range of titles, including PUBG Mobile, Valorant, Dota 2, Counter-Strike 2 and League of Legends, among others.

The tournament will debut in Riyadh before adopting a rotating host city model in future editions. As a biennial event, it is designed to complement the annual Esports World Cup, offering a more stable structure for national representation and long-term investment in esports development.

With this appointment, India takes a step closer to formalising its presence in global esports, backed by a structured system aimed at identifying talent, building competitive depth and fostering national pride on the international stage.