Adidas Unveils 108 Designs for the Esports Nations Cup
The Esports Nations Cup is set to feature 108 unique national team jerseys, designed in collaboration with the Esports Foundation and the sportswear giant adidas. The jerseys will debut throughout the year, with the first one unveiled for the France National Team on Sunday.
The Esports Foundation opted to partner with adidas to create jerseys that would appeal to a global audience, according to Esports Foundation chief commercial officer Mohammad Al Nimer. "Obviously, when you have a big national team-based competition, like the Esports Nations Cup, the jersey plays a very important role because it's visually the first thing you see that represents the nation," Al Nimer said.
Adidas has a long history of designing national team kits, with experience creating jerseys for Spain, Japan, Belgium, and Mexico. Senior vice president of brand development Phillip Waller credits this experience as one of the biggest reasons why they're able to create unique looks for more than 100 nations.
The design process for the Esports Nations Cup jerseys was a challenge due to the condensed timeline. Esports Foundation chief operating officer and deputy CEO Mike McCabe recalled the process of developing specialized kits for international teams for World Cups, saying, "The design cycle is four years plus for those national team kits. We didn't have that long."
The Esports Foundation and adidas have been working on the project for close to a year. Waller said, "It was a significant challenge for our team, but this is an incredibly exciting opportunity for us as a brand. These jerseys will become a symbol of incredible moments that both athletes and fans will remember for life."
The creation of official national apparel gives fans a tangible item to buy that isn't tied solely to gaming. The Esports Nations Cup will feature 16 titles with more than 100 countries attempting to qualify for the event, taking place in November 2026 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The rollout of national team jerseys will continue throughout the year, with most Tier 1 nations receiving their designs. The France National Team jersey was revealed on Sunday, and more nations will follow in the coming months before the event.
The Esports Nations Cup is an ambitious project, with the Esports Foundation aiming to create a similar environment to an Olympic Games. The event will feature a highly condensed timeline, with the first iteration planned for November 2026.
The partnership between the Esports Foundation and adidas has been a natural fit, according to Al Nimer. "We felt that their vision was very close to ours in terms of what this jersey needed to represent and how it needed to look like," he said.
The Esports Nations Cup will be a significant event in the esports calendar, with the jerseys becoming a symbol of incredible moments for both athletes and fans. The creation of official national apparel gives fans a tangible item to buy that isn't tied solely to gaming, making it an important part of the larger picture.
The Esports Nations Cup will feature 16 titles with more than 100 countries attempting to qualify for the event, taking place in November 2026 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The rollout of national team jerseys will continue throughout the year, with the next one expected to be revealed in the coming months.
Source: Yahoo Sports