Sixteen New Zealand esports athletes will represent their country on the world stage this November, with the KIA E Blacks securing places across five disciplines at the inaugural Esports Nations Cup in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
For the players selected, the opportunity is a chance to wear the black jersey, stand behind the New Zealand flag and represent Aotearoa in one of the fastest-growing areas of global competition.
New Zealand will contest League of Legends, Trackmania, Chess, Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege and Rocket League, marking the broadest single-event representation the country has achieved in esports.
For people new to esports, the Esports Nations Cup can be understood as a Commonwealth Games-style event for competitive gaming. Countries and territories compete under their national flags across multiple disciplines, with national teams selected to represent their communities on the world stage.
The Esports Nations Cup runs from 2 to 29 November 2026 in Riyadh and brings together national teams from around the world, including the United States, Great Britain, France, Germany, Australia, China and South Korea. The event is organised by the Esports Foundation and features USD $20 million in prize money across 16 disciplines.
New Zealand’s five-discipline entry has been secured through a mix of regional qualification, international ranking pathways and direct invitations, reflecting the growing depth of competitive gaming in New Zealand across strategy, racing, chess, tactical shooters and football-inspired competition.
“This is the moment many of our athletes have been working towards for years,” said Jonathan Jansen, CEO of NZ Esports and New Zealand’s National Team Manager for the Esports Nations Cup. “They are not just competing online or representing overseas clubs. They are wearing the black jersey, standing behind the New Zealand flag and showing that Kiwi esports talent belongs on the world stage.”
In League of Legends, a five-player team strategy game with over 180 million monthly players as one of the world’s largest esports, New Zealand qualified through the Southeast Asia and Oceania qualifier, one of the most dominant regions in the world, held from 19 to 21 June. The KIA E Blacks team shocked the region with a breakout performance after being ranked one of the lowest teams in the world, going on to be undefeated across the event, defeating Brunei, the Philippines and Australia without dropping a series, before beating Singapore 2–0 in the upper-bracket final to secure their place in Riyadh.
“Competing internationally is always special, but doing it under the New Zealand flag means something different,” said Ari Greene-Young. “You are not just playing for yourself. You are representing everyone who has supported you, your community and your country.”
In Trackmania, a high-speed precision racing game where players compete individually on technical tracks, New Zealand claimed both available Oceania qualification spots. JSwag and Baiwack secured the region’s full allocation for New Zealand, with the Trackmania finals set to run from 19 to 22 November.
In Chess, International Master Sravan Renjith qualified through the East Asia, Southeast Asia and Oceania pathway, earning his place in a 128-player field. His selection adds one of the world’s oldest competitive mind sports to New Zealand’s Esports Nations Cup campaign.
New Zealand’s Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege team received a direct invitation based on the country’s standing in global competition. Rainbow Six Siege is a five-on-five tactical shooter built around planning, communication and precision, with teams attacking and defending objectives through strategy and specialist roles.
The E Blacks Rocket League team also received a direct invitation through the official qualification pathway. Rocket League is best described as football played with rocket-powered cars, combining speed, aerial control and team coordination in one of esports’ most visually accessible formats.
“Sixteen athletes across five disciplines is a major step forward for New Zealand esports,” said Conor English, President of NZ Esports. “This is not one team, one result or one game. Some athletes earned their places through regional qualifiers, some through ranking systems and others through direct invitation. Together, they show that New Zealand has talent, structure and credibility across the wider esports landscape.”
NZ Esports was confirmed earlier this year as New Zealand’s official National Team Partner for the Esports Nations Cup, giving Kiwi players a formal pathway to compete internationally as part of the E Blacks.
“For years, New Zealand esports players have competed internationally in different ways, often as individuals, for overseas clubs or in regional competitions,” said Jansen. “The Esports Nations Cup gives them something different: a national team environment and the opportunity to represent New Zealand together. Our goal was to get two teams representing New Zealand at this event, but to have qualified for every single title so far, with 10 more disciplines to go – we knew we had some special talent, but we have still been truly blown away by just how good our players have been performing.”
