TenZ in the Esports Nations Cup?

Well-known VALORANT player TenZ surprised the community after announcing his retirement at the height of his success in 2024. Two years later, he may be returning to the competitive scene for the 2026 Esports Nations Cup. What does this mean for his career and VALORANT esports as a whole? Here’s everything to know.

Is TenZ Coming Out of Retirement?

Canadian athlete TenZ is one of VALORANT‘s original star players who brought the game into mainstream esports. Originally a Counter-Strike pro, he moved to the title in 2020, originally playing for North American org Cloud9. TenZ later moved to another NA team, Sentinels. He was in prime form during his time on this roster and notably won VALORANT’s first-ever Masters event (Reykjavík 2021). TenZ stayed on Sentinels from 2021 to 2025. He also won Masters Madrid 2024 and participated in two Champions events.

On September 14, 2024, TenZ announced his retirement from Competitive VALORANT in a video titled ‘Thank You.’ He stated the decision was a “no-brainer” based on “how much effort, how much work, how much of your life gets taken up by being a pro player.” TenZ had already earned a large viewer base as a streamer, but announced he would be pivoting to a full-time creator position while remaining on Sentinels.

TenZ is Playing in the Esports Nations Cup

Nearly two years later, a lot has changed. The VCT is anticipating significant changes in 2027 that will reshape its international tournaments. In addition, the Esports World Cup Foundation is creating a new international tournament where players will compete under country banners instead of teams. In addition, rumors began to swirl alleging TenZ might not be leaving competitive play for good. Earlier this year, several Sentinels higher-ups had stated they would welcome TenZ should he decide to ever restart his competitive career. On March 2, 2026, @VCTScrims revealed on X.com that TenZ was scrimming with Sentinels teammates in the org’s facility.

On Tuesday, June 23 2026, sources including @ValorINTEL reported that TenZ would step out of retirement to compete in the 2026 Esports Nations Cup. At the time of writing, TenZ has not made statements on socials confirming or denying this. However, he is officially listed on the tournament’s website under the Canada team roster. The roster includes:

• TenZ
• mada
• eeiu
• Marved
• JonahP
• koalanoob
• Zander

What Is the Esports Nations Cup?

The Esports Nations Cup (ENC) is an upcoming international multi-game esports tournament organized by the Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF), a non-profit based in Saudi Arabia. The EWCF also hosts the Esports World Cup, an annual event in Saudi Arabia that includes an S-tier VALORANT tournament.

Organizers announced the event in August 2025. The inaugural finals are scheduled for November 2026 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia’s capital. The Foundation plans to hold the event every two years, rotating host cities each time.

Though the event has similarities to the pre-existing Esports World Cup, there is a key difference. Players represent their country directly rather than their club teams, giving it more of an Olympics-style feel. The first Esports Nations Cup will feature 16 titles across seven regions, including North America, South America, Europe, MENA, Africa, Asia, and Southeast Asia and Oceania. Over 1,500 players from more than 100 nations will compete in games ranging from League of Legends and VALORANT to Counter-Strike, Dota 2, EA Sports FC, and even Chess.

Community Reactions: Esports Nations Cup Controversy

The Esports Nations Cup has drawn controversy on several fronts. Most notably, South Korea pulled out of the 2026 tournament after the event’s organizers allegedly attempted to interfere with the national team selection process, including pushing for specific players to be included in the roster. Many fans suspected the Foundation was pushing for star League of Legends player Faker due to his popularity and the attention he would bring to the event.

Beyond the roster dispute, the tournament has also attracted skepticism due to Saudi Arabia’s financial push into the esports ecosystem. The event is backed by an extremely large prize pool, much of which comes from the Esports World Cup Foundation. This has led some to question whether the competition is genuinely about celebrating national pride, and community members have accused the organization of ‘sportswashing.’

Many community members say they are excited to see TenZ compete in the ENC and support their home countries. However, others seriously question the decision. User @shaelynbot wrote: “embarrassing how many players i respect are doing e/n/c……enjoy your blood money though i guess !” Another user replied, defending the players by saying, “These pro players RELY ON TOURNAMENTS TO SURVIVE. ITS THEIR JOB NOT A HOBBY.” However, @vytkfps countered, “tenz doing it though is crazy […he] can start up stream and make 10k so it doesnt make sense.”

Stay tuned to EsportNow for more coverage as the year’s VALORANT tournaments progress.