Preview of the MENA and Sub-Saharan Africa closed qualifiers for the ENC 2026 in Dota 2: format, rosters, and Day 1 schedule
David Mchedlishvili
Regional closed qualifiers for the Esports Nations Cup 2026 kick off on June 29. Read on for details on the qualifier format and participating teams in Sub-Saharan Africa and the MENA region.
Sub-Saharan Africa
Format
In Sub-Saharan Africa, the qualifiers will take place from June 29 to July 1, with one spot in the main tournament up for grabs among eight teams. Teams are placed in a two-tier bracket with best-of-three series.
Team Rosters
Nigeria
- KevD
- Mouse
- Hadez
- Pladnod!
- Sherlock_Holmes
- Olisa
- Aazogu
Ghana
- TehNoob
- Shirovasta
- Sp@rkie
- Kay Ay
- ELLIX
- Infinit3_dant3
South Africa
- remedy
- Travis John “Castaway” Waters
- MD
- Frank
- Mental
- soup
- Depe
Cameroon
- Supp_diff
- Martinshiroe
- Jarl_Smith
- LApothicaire
- The Shanks
- Dark_4real
- Catce-Retrokuegou
Zambia
- Jaybzm
- Kiddtic
- Mzz
- Asriel603
- T-Machine
- Turbine
- Syn
Malawi
- SpartanX12
- archive_00
- XNoxisityX
- Jaydoria
- RobouteGuilliman265
- Mafwilano
- Black Judas
Kenya
- Wambugu Kamotho
- kamikazechaser
- Anti-Pro
- LilKev
- 254Mugoh
- C’zler
- War㊍㊎Machine
Madagascar
- Ccb
- Maiko
- MEL4NCOLIA
- Zhode-
- Sid
- NeyL
- TiTaka
Schedule for the first day of play
June 29, Moscow time.
-
8:00 p.m.
- South Africa vs. Zambia;
- Cameroon vs. Malawi;
- Madagascar vs. Ghana;
- Nigeria vs. Kenya.
Middle East and North Africa
Format
In the Middle East and North Africa, the qualifiers will take place from June 29 to July 1. Two teams will be selected from among the fifteen to participate in the ENC. Teams will begin in a double-elimination bracket, with all matches played to the best of three.
Team Rosters
Turkmenistan
- Rama
- Babay
- Pyshtyl
- Kirya
- Banana
- Mashyl
- mephisto
- XYZ (coach)
Tajikistan
- SodiqControl
- Oss
- Grizzzly
- Andy
- Majestic-
- QashaQ
- Mirror
- Rishakle (coach)
Hungary
- Dingo
- G.T.I
- Faruk “Wuiter” Terji
- Jeezy
- Stoic
- Yobi
- Senny
- leni (coach)
Georgia
- Lasha “Nande” Narsia
- Irakli “W1sh-” Peranidze-
- Stormy
- WTS
- Red
- Arin Rachel
- Susa
- Davy Jones (coach)
Uzbekistan
- Resu
- Alan
- Pan
- Akbar “SoNNeikO” Butaev
- Escape
- Sh
- Parabel18
- Jamshid “jAM3S” Abdurashitov (coach)
Kyrgyzstan
- Kyyalbek “dream`” Tayirov
- gudiny
- icq
- Sst丶
- Bektur “Max” Kulov
- mercury
- ImNotFromLondon
- Green (coach)
Syria
- Dragonsoul-
- L1ZARD
- Mohg-
- Bilal-
- Sharaf
- Jebolna al khrba
- Micheal
- ScorpDota (coach)
Azerbaijan
- flownee
- Nizam
- Loom
- Merlin
- sabr
- Alibaba
- sneesnaw
- ilwhnou (coach)
Saudi Arabia
- P1
- amaar
- lil_one
- Mad Frog
- Stupid_Cat
- FakeDeath
- Ayman “Heyman95” Abduljawad
- Devil (coach)
Lebanon
- FREAKY
- Tony “No!ob” Assaf
- Jad “ruustle” Itani
- Omar “OmaR” Mugrabi
- Maroon “GH” Merhey
- NaNz
- Anthony “Papatooty” Hanna
- Jad “Eixn” Hammoud (coach)
Egypt
- Hadi Diaa “TheVeryFamous.ar3a” El-Din
- MeetYourBob
- SuperRudy
- forever
- Reaper
- Otaka
- 47
- Qui (coach)
Tunisia
- Hslyr
- gsN-
- kyoto
- Soyah
- lorki
- Rubbin (coach)
Algeria
- MerOne
- Paradox
- Noobisho
- Shushu
- Hunter
- Light
- dani zxc
- Blademoose (coach)
Iran
- H2Owned
- ANewMe
- Depk1d
- HerOoO
- FaNtaSma
- Dot (coach)
Palestine
- TBD
- TBD
- TBD
- TBD
- TBD
- TBD (coach)
Schedule for the first day of play
June 29, Moscow time.
-
5:00 p.m.
- Egypt vs. Syria;
- Tunisia vs. Algeria;
- Tajikistan vs. Azerbaijan;
- Georgia vs. Turkmenistan;
- Saudi Arabia vs. Iran;
- Turkey vs. Kyrgyzstan;
- Uzbekistan vs. Palestine.
Where to watch the regional closed qualifiers for the Esports Nations Cup 2026
- Broadcast in English: enc_en.
Photo — EWC Foundation.
David Mchedlishvili
