IIDEA is National Team Partner for Italy in the Esports Nations Cup

Milan, March 31, 2026 – IIDEA, the association representing the video game industry in Italy, has been selected by the Esports Foundation (EF) as National Team Partner for Italy for the Esports Nations Cup 2026 (ENC), the new international esports competition between countries set to debut in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from November 2 to 29, 2026.

The appointment is part of the global program announced last week by the Esports Foundation, which involved organizations and professionals from over 100 nations and territories, creating for the first time a structured and scalable system of international competition based on countries.

For Italy, IIDEA will work together with its members active in the esports sector – DNSTY, EKO Esports, Exeed, HMBLE, King Esport, NOVO Esports, Outplayed, PG Esports, and Reply Totem – with the aim of contributing to the formation of the Italian team across multiple game titles, overseeing player selection, and defining the necessary structures to support the participation and growth of the national competitive ecosystem.

"We are particularly happy to have been selected to represent Italian esports in such a strategic international project for the future of the sector. Since 2019, we have believed in the potential of esports, opening our association to operators in this market and working with them to create a context of dialogue, growth, and development. For this reason, we committed with great determination to the Italian candidacy," declared Thalita Malagò, General Director of IIDEA.

"We believe that the Esports Nations Cup represents a unique opportunity to enhance the work of Italian companies in the sector, strengthen their international visibility, and foster sustainable long-term development," added Federico Brambilla, Vice President of IIDEA.

As part of this announcement, Gabriele Wolcat Catterin has been appointed National Team Manager for Italy, with responsibility for daily operational activities, coordination among stakeholders, and alignment with the organizational and competitive requirements of the Esports Nations Cup.

The Esports Nations Cup 2026 was created with the aim of complementing the traditional club-based competitive model with a new dimension built around teams from different countries, offering players a structured path to compete under the colors of Italy and communities a new level of involvement and identification.

The selected partners will be tasked with supporting team building, activating local communities, and contributing to the development of the structures necessary for the growth of the movement in individual markets.

The initiative has garnered strong international interest, with over 630 applications from 150 countries and territories, confirming the growing strategic value of an esports ecosystem based on the participation of individual countries.

Hans Jagnow, Director, National Team Relations, The Esports Foundation stated: "The Esports Nations Cup was born from a simple idea: to offer players a reliable path to compete for their country and give fans a team to identify with. The response received from partners around the world gives us confidence that ENC can represent not only a new competition, but a new model for the future of international esports."

The complete list of selected partners is available on the official event website and will continue to be updated with further appointments in the coming weeks.