Bhubaneswar: The Esports Foundation (EF) today appointed NODWIN Gaming, a global leader in gaming, esports and youth entertainment, as India’s official National Team Partner for the Esports Nations Cup 2026 (ENC), the global nation-based esports competition set to debut in Riyadh from November 2–29, 2026. 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.
As India’s National Team Partner, NODWIN Gaming will spearhead team formation, mobilize 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.”
“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.”
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.
