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South Korea has officially unveiled its League of Legends roster for the Esports Nations Cup 2026, and the lineup includes Faker, Zeus, Canyon, and Zeka.
The announcement comes after a turbulent few weeks involving the Korea Esports Association (KeSPA) and event organizers. Those tensions nearly derailed South Korea’s participation entirely.
From dispute to dream team
KeSPA temporarily withdrew from the ENC partnership over disagreements regarding roster control and player inclusion. Negotiations eventually resolved the dispute, and KeSPA finalized its roster candidates between May 18 and 22, 2026.
What the Esports Nations Cup actually is
The ENC 2026 is an inaugural event hosted in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, running from November 2 through November 29. The League of Legends competition specifically takes place during the final stretch, November 21 through 29.
The event spans 16 different esports titles and features participation from over 100 nations and territories. For the League of Legends segment alone, 32 teams will compete for a prize pool of $1.5 million.
Players represent their countries, not their club organizations. Players who normally compete against each other on rival rosters suddenly wear the same jersey.
The crypto angle, or lack thereof
No crypto sponsors have been announced for the event. No blockchain integrations, no token partnerships, no NFT ticketing schemes. Searches across various esports channels yielded no mention of crypto-related sponsors, partnerships, or integrations within the context of the ENC.
FTX famously sponsored TSM’s naming rights before its collapse. The hangover from those partnerships has left many traditional esports organizations cautious about re-engaging with the sector.
The $1.5 million League of Legends prize pool is funded through traditional channels.
Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.
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