China has locked in its VALORANT squad for the inaugural Esports Nations Cup, fielding a roster built around three EDG players and a handful of standouts from across the Chinese competitive scene. The team earned one of 16 direct invitations to the tournament, sitting third in the ENC Rankings with 7,975 points.

That ranking matters. It means China didn’t have to grind through open qualifiers. They walked in through the front door, alongside the other top-15 nations, while the remaining 16 slots will be filled through qualification tournaments.

The roster breakdown

Team China’s seven-player lineup leans heavily on EDG’s core. ZmjjKK, CHICHOO, and nobody, all representing Edward Gaming, form the spine of the squad. Rounding out the squad are Lysoar from XLG, Knight from BLG, and two players drawn from the broader Chinese talent pool: slowly and K1ra. A coach completes the eight-person delegation.

The roster was confirmed publicly around June 17, 2026, giving the team roughly four and a half months to prepare before competition begins in November.

What is the Esports Nations Cup

The Esports Nations Cup is organized by the Esports World Cup Foundation and represents a nation-versus-nation tournament modeled after traditional sports competitions like the FIFA World Cup.

The event will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, running from November 2 to 29, 2026. Thirty-two national teams will compete across multiple game titles. The 32-team field is split into two tiers. Sixteen nations received direct invitations based on their ENC Rankings points, accumulated through results in official circuits like the VALORANT Champions Tour. The other 16 will earn their spots through open qualification pathways. China’s third-place ranking, with 7,975 points, put them comfortably in the direct-invite category.