In September 2020, Ubisoft unveiled their plans to make a Siege World Cup – a competition that would involve nations from all around the world, including the most successful players in the scene.
The competition’s plan was clear: 45 nations would compete at the highest level in Summer 2021 to crown the first Rainbow Six Siege world champion. However, the tournament never materialized due to different factors, especially the COVID-19 pandemic that heavily hit the esports sector. Making international competitions wasn’t an option anymore and the project was eventually scrapped.
For years, the Rainbow Six Siege community would bring the topic up. What if there was a Rainbow Six Siege world championship? Would Brazil take the trophy home? Would the United States take down the South American country? Or would an European country like Russia or Sweden surprise the fans?
All of these questions would fade away as these were based on if the competition would actually happen. But, what if we told you that a Siege X World Cup not just could but likely will be played next year?
Today, during the New Global Sport Conference, Ralf Reichert, CEO of the Esports World Cup Foundation, announced the Esports Nations Cup. Similarly to the Esports World Cup, the Esports Nations Cup will include over 15 different titles with a slight difference – teams in the competitions will compete for their countries, not their respective esports organizations.
The Esports Nations Cup will be a biennial competition. The first edition of the Esports Nations Cup will be played in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in November 2026. The second edition will be played in 2028. Unlike the Esports World Cup, which only takes place in Saudi Arabia, the Esports Nations Cup will be played around the globe. So, the 2028 edition will be played somewhere else.
While Rainbow Six Siege X hasn’t been announced as part of the Esports Nations Cup, it’s pretty difficult to not see Ubisoft’s title in the picture – especially considering not only Rainbow Six Siege X’s importance in the esports industry but also the fact that important Ubisoft people like Yves Guillemot attended today’s conference.
If the Esports Nations Cup was to include Rainbow Six Siege X, Ubisoft and BLAST would have to reevaluate their esports circuit as the competition would clash with the BLAST R6 November Major. Logically, it would also have an impact on the regional leagues and the national ecosystems. So, while the idea is exciting, it shakes Rainbow Six Siege X’s scene completely.