During the Esports Nations Cup (ENC), fans are always split between different titles. A person who loves VALORANT may never watch a match of Rocket League. Because these games are so different, their communities rarely interact. They follow different players, different teams, and entirely different tournament schedules. This creates a fragmented landscape where a fan of one title has nothing to do with another.
This is something the Esports Foundation is working to change, according to its CEO, Ralf Reichert. In an interview with Jaxon.gg, Reichert explained that instead of focusing only on which gaming “club” or private organization is the best, they are using a simple and powerful idea to bring everyone together.
To put it simply, ENC is currently trying to do what Olympic does, but for esports. You might not watch swimming or gymnastics for four years, but the moment you see your country’s flag on the screen, it’s highly likely that you will turn on the channel.
You want your nation to win regardless of whether you understand every technical rule of the sport. The ENC is applying this exact logic to video games. By having players wear their national jerseys, such as Team USA, Team Korea, or Team France, the competition creates a bridge between different games.
“You may not follow every game, but if your country is competing, you are more likely to watch across the competition,” Reichert said. “That naturally connects different communities without forcing them together. At the same time, each title keeps its integrity. The best players still compete at the highest level within their disciplines.”
A fan might show up to watch the one game they know well, but while they are there, they will see their national team playing a different game. Because they want their country to win the overall trophy, they start cheering for a game they have never played before. This naturally creates a shared identity across the entire event.
Right now, the esports world is very divided. Most fans only care about one specific title. The ENC introduces a reason to care that is bigger than the game itself. As Ralf Reichert explained in our recent interview, national identity sits above the individual games.
His views were echoed by Jesse Bodony, President and CEO of USA Esports, who is the national team partner for the country at the ENC.
“Today, a VALORANT fan or a Rocket League fan have almost nothing in common structurally, but when both of those players are on a team wearing a USA jersey, and are competing for the same country, at the same event, that’s where you get a shared identity/fandom across esports that really didn’t exist before,” said Bodony.
You do not have to be an expert in every title to enjoy the event. If your country is competing for a gold medal, you have a reason to tune in. This connects different communities without forcing them to give up the games they already love, which will expand the fan base rather than trying to replace it.
With 16 different games featured in the upcoming 2026 event in Riyadh, the ENC is the largest attempt yet to create a unified esports fanbase. This could introduce a large number of esports fans to new titles that they have never followed before, resulting in the growth of esports as a whole.
Read also: Team Korea to compete at ENC 2026 after KeSPA and EF resolve dispute
Featured image credit: Esports Foundation
21+ and present in VA. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.
