Finland will participate in the Esports Nations Cup 2026 (ENC26) tournament, where national teams will compete for the esports multi-title championship in November.
The tournament will feature 16 different games, and the total prize pool is $20 million. This is a unique opportunity to build a Finnish national esports team that brings together the best players and coaches across organizational boundaries.
“This is not just a tournament. This is an opportunity to build something together that unites the entire Finnish esports scene. When playing for Finland, everyone is on the same side.” - Petri Hämälä, Assembly Organizing Oy, Finland's “National Team Partner of ENC26”
With the mandate and recommendation of the Finnish Esports Federation (SEUL), Assembly Organizing Oy has applied for and been selected by the Esports Nations Cup committee as the national team's license holder, the “National Team Partner”. Assembly events have been a part of the development and a cornerstone of Finnish competitive gaming and digital culture for four decades now.
The operative work of the license holder, Assembly, is supported by ENCE as a service provider, facilitating training facilities, content creation, and ENCE’s social media channels for the national team's use.
Assembly is Finland's biggest gaming culture event.
“Finnish esports has a massive amount of expertise and history. Supporting Assembly as the applicant for the Finnish license was a clear choice for us. We feel that this way, together with the field, we can assemble a national team operation that appeals to all Finnish competitive gaming fans. Our role is primarily to act as an advocate and look after the well-being of our athletes.” - Sonja Ahtiainen, President, Finnish Esports Federation (SEUL ry)
The Finnish Esports Federation, SEUL ry, serves as a unifying and supporting entity for the project, ensuring operational transparency across the entire scene.
Eemeli “Woomera” Ikonen has been selected by the Esports Nations Cup committee as the manager of the Finnish national team, the “National Team Manager”. Eemeli is a natural choice for the team manager, given both his own playing history and his diverse organizational background.
“Together, we will build a national team that represents the pinnacle of Finnish esports. We will assemble the most competitive rosters for every game and strengthen Finland's position in the international competitive arenas.” - Eemeli Ikonen, National Team Manager.
Considering Eemeli's current day job at ENCE, player and coach selections will be made in close cooperation with a working group formed by Assembly and SEUL to ensure independence.
Eemeli "Woomera" Ikonen was selected as the National Team Manager for Finland.
A new chapter in Finnish esports
The Esports Nations Cup brings a new international stage for Finnish esports. At the same time, it offers an opportunity to build something long-lasting: a shared way of operating, developing, and representing Finland in esports.
Over the coming months, Finnish esports fans will get to follow, among other things, the building of national teams in various games, behind-the-scenes stories, fan-engaging events, and community activities across the entire scene.
The entire nation's team. The goal is to “torilla tavataan”.
What is the Esports Nations Cup?
The Esports Nations Cup (ENC) is a new global national team competition that brings national representation to the international esports calendar in a structured, recurring format.
The tournament will be held every two years, providing a long-term and stable platform for national team competition across various games. The ENC is managed by the Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF), which oversees the competition's international framework and rules. The first tournament will be held in November 2026 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Media requests
encfinland@assembly.org