The Esports Nations Cup 2026 has revealed its VALORANT coaching lineup. Over 730 coaches have been officially approved across 100+ nations, kicking off the player registration phase for one of the biggest national-team tournaments in esports history.
Here is the complete list of confirmed head coaches for the ENC 2026 VALORANT tournament, organized by region.
What Is the ENC 2026 VALORANT Tournament?
The Esports Nations Cup 2026 is a multi-game national team event hosted in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It runs from November 2 to November 29, 2026. VALORANT’s main tournament takes place during the second week, from November 8 to 15.
A total of 32 national teams will compete. The prize pool for VALORANT stands at $1,500,000.
The event is organized by the Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF), the same body that runs the Esports World Cup. It is the first edition of the ENC series, announced at the New Global Sport Conference in August 2025.
How Qualification Works
Of the 32 spots available, teams reach the finals through three paths:
- 16 direct invites based on the VALORANT National Team Rankings
- 14 spots from seven continental qualifiers (two per qualifier)
- 2 wildcard spots (details not yet confirmed)
The VALORANT National Team Rankings use VCT results. Points are shared equally among all club members who played. A nation’s ranking adds up the points of the top five players on its submitted roster. The cutoff date for the national ranking is June 21, 2026.
Roster and Eligibility Rules
Each national roster includes five players and up to two substitutes. All players must hold the nationality of the country they represent. Coaches do not have this restriction and can come from any nationality.
One key club limitation applies: no more than three members of a team, including substitutes, can come from the same esports organization.
Coaches were required to submit their names by April 7, 2026. Player rosters have a deadline extended to May 10, 2026.
ENC 2026 VALORANT Head Coaches: Africa
| Country | Head Coach |
|---|---|
| Cameroon | “Overlord” |
| Cote d’Ivoire | “Kiro” |
| Djibouti | “Zahra” |
| Egypt | Ahmed “ZE1SH” Sheikh |
| Ghana | “Castor” |
| Kenya | TBD |
| Malawi | “wombat” |
| Nigeria | “Allen Walker” |
| Senegal | “Kiréne” |
| South Africa | “Fury” |
ENC 2026 VALORANT Head Coaches: Americas
| Country | Head Coach |
|---|---|
| Argentina | Gonzalo “Romanilly” Manzano |
| Bahamas | “Pyro” |
| Canada | Dakota “Stunner” MacLeod |
| Chile | Álvaro “WKN” Bustos |
| Colombia | Johan “StepheeN” Rodriguez |
| Costa Rica | Wilfried Zaha |
| Dominican Republic | “Foss1l” |
| Guatemala | “Poper” |
| Honduras | “Ecxilon” |
| Mexico | Jorge “Atom” Noriega |
| Paraguay | Iván “Inthra” Argüello |
| Peru | Giancarlo “giaNco” Arróspide |
| United States | Josh “JoshRT” Lee |
| Uruguay | Nicolás “Near” Gonzalez |
ENC 2026 VALORANT Head Coaches: Asia
| Country | Head Coach |
|---|---|
| Bahrain | “ALOOY” |
| Bangladesh | “scorezy” |
| Brunei Darussalam | “Simon” |
| Indonesia | Baskoro “roseaufy” Putra |
| Japan | Kakeru “Vorz” Ikarashi |
| Jordan | Amjad “BABABEAST” Al-Belbiese |
| Kazakhstan | Sultan “sultan” Akbay |
| Kuwait | Essa “ZiFE” Alshammeri |
| Kyrgyzstan | Harry “zelo” Davies |
| Lebanon | David “Dav1” Miljanić |
| Malaysia | Hoc Wah “Fayde” Chong |
| Mongolia | Enkh-Orgil “Orgil” Batjargal |
| Morocco | Martin “Ewok” van der Walt |
| Oman | Sha “ZesBeeW” Mohtar |
| Pakistan | Ayesha “Skel” Samman |
| Philippines | Jose “Rbtx” Jamir |
| Saudi Arabia | Andreas “Andreas” Nielsen |
| Singapore | Benedict “Benkai” Tan |
| Syrian Arab Republic | “Prometheus” |
| Thailand | Piyangoon “MYM” Kitisin |
| Turkmenistan | “aufina” |
| Uzbekistan | “Rusty” |
| Vietnam | Phan “Kawa” Anh Huy |
Singapore’s entry stands out. Benedict “Benkai” Tan is a well-known professional VALORANT player who has competed at the highest level in the Pacific region.
ENC 2026 VALORANT Head Coaches: Europe
| Country | Head Coach |
|---|---|
| Austria | Iljas “Matrixx” Amagow |
| Azerbaijan | “Holly” |
| Belgium | Xander “XanderKast” Martens |
| Bulgaria | Dimitar “itopata” Staev |
| Croatia | “Gaudarzz” |
| Czechia | Václav Jan “Vašek” Stezka |
| Denmark | Casper “Desmo” Rasmussen |
| Finland | Jiri “KUNDIKUNDI” Honkala |
| France | Vincent “Happy” Schopenhauer |
| Georgia | “Deny” |
| Germany | Navid “Kapio” Javadi |
| Greece | Ilias “iLka” Kaskanetas |
| Hungary | Viktor “victorsoN” Kovács |
| Iceland | “Axel” |
| Ireland | mike.D |
| Israel | Yaniv “nightmareK” Schreiber |
| Italy | Simone “simoz” Giovannini |
| Latvia | “PTJj” |
| Lithuania | Laurynas “Nbs” Kisielius |
| Moldova | “FELLY” |
| Netherlands | Milan “Milan” de Meij |
| Norway | Pål Ari “PUMA” Puma-Bø |
| Poland | Daniel “yaotziN” Roczniak |
| Portugal | Miguel “Bati” Batista |
| Romania | “Albala” |
| Serbia | Pavle “pakko” Kostić |
| Slovakia | “Landry” |
| Slovenia | Kris “KHorror” Horvat |
| Spain | Manuel “thinkii” Martínez |
| Sweden | Erik “d00mbr0s” Sandgren |
| Switzerland | “holden” |
| Türkiye | Mert “KEY” Çelebi (Head Coach) / Berke “Vlad” Kantürk (Coach) |
| Ukraine | Ivan “Johnta” Shevtsov |
| United Kingdom | Neil “neilzinho” Finlay |
Türkiye is the only nation to list two coaching staff members in this announcement.
ENC 2026 VALORANT Head Coaches: Oceania
| Country | Head Coach |
|---|---|
| Australia | Chris “Elmapuddy” Tebbit |
| Guam | “Swehts” |
| New Zealand | Yifang “Yifang” Chen |
What Happens Next
Player rosters must be submitted by May 10, 2026. After that, over 100,000 qualifier participants from 100 nations will compete across seven regional qualifiers for the remaining spots in Riyadh.
Track the full coach and roster list on the official ENC VALORANT page and the Liquipedia ENC 2026 VALORANT wiki, both updated as new information comes in.
For India’s path to ENC, NODWIN Gaming has been appointed as India’s National Team Partner and will oversee team selection across multiple titles including VALORANT.
The ENC 2026 VALORANT tournament runs November 8 to 15 in Riyadh. With $1.5 million on the line and 32 nations competing, it is the largest country-based VALORANT competition ever held.
FAQ
When does the ENC 2026 VALORANT tournament take place? The VALORANT main event runs from November 8 to 15, 2026, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
How many teams compete in ENC 2026 VALORANT? 32 national teams compete. 16 receive direct invites, 14 qualify through continental qualifiers, and 2 enter through wildcards.
Can a VALORANT coach have a different nationality? Yes. ENC 2026 coaches are not required to hold the nationality of the country they represent. This rule applies to players only.
What is the prize pool for ENC 2026 VALORANT? The prize pool for the VALORANT tournament at ENC 2026 is $1,500,000.
Who is the head coach for Singapore at ENC 2026? Benedict “Benkai” Tan has been appointed as Singapore’s head coach for VALORANT at ENC 2026.
When is the player roster deadline for ENC 2026 VALORANT? The deadline has been extended to May 10, 2026.
