The Esports Foundation has shared details regarding sponsorship agreements, national team jersey designs, and revenue sharing ahead of the inaugural Esports Nations Cup, which will take place this November in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
According to EF's Chief Commercial Officer Mohammed Al Nimer, the organizers aim to create an attractive and representative jersey design that fans will want to wear in their everyday lives. Therefore, the front and back of the jerseys will be free of advertising — they will only feature the national team logo and the emblem of adidas, the official apparel partner. Only one sleeve is allocated for sponsor logos, while the official tournament patch will be affixed to the other.
The sale of the sponsor space on the sleeve can be handled either by National Team Partners (NTPs — companies or organizations managing the team in a specific country) or directly by the Esports Foundation. The revenue sharing structure will depend on who brings the brand in. This flexibility is necessary because some of the more than 100 participating countries are currently represented only by managers rather than full-fledged NTPs.
All sponsors must strictly comply with the requirements of the organizers and the publishers of the 16 games featured at the tournament. Al Nimer emphasized the importance of a brand-safe environment, noting that gambling advertising will be strictly regulated or completely prohibited. Furthermore, the partnership with adidas takes precedence and overrides any existing agreements local federations may have with other apparel manufacturers (for example, the South Korean national team's current agreement with GOAL Studio).
The official jerseys will be made widely available for fans to purchase. They can be bought both online via the tournament website and in physical stores. The Esports Foundation is currently continuing to work on expanding distribution and is preparing further announcements to make the kits as accessible as possible worldwide.
As a Reminder, Magnus Carlsen — Esports World Cup 2026 Chess Champion in Paris