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Vietnam has locked in its League of Legends lineup for the Esports Nations Cup 2026, and the roster reads like a greatest-hits compilation of the country’s competitive scene. The announcement, made on May 22, includes six players and a head coach drawn from the strongest domestic organizations in Vietnamese esports.
The headliner is SofM, the 28-year-old jungler whose real name is Lê Quang Duy. He’s arguably the most internationally recognized Vietnamese League of Legends player ever, having built his reputation during a successful run in China’s League of Legends Pro League. SofM has since transitioned into co-ownership of MVK Esports, but he’s clearly not done competing.
The roster and what Vietnam is building
Vietnam’s squad pulls from three of the country’s premier organizations: GAM Esports, Team Secret Whales (TSW), and MVK Esports. The head coach role goes to Võ “Naul” Thành Luân, who will be tasked with forging a cohesive unit from players who normally compete against each other domestically.
SofM’s inclusion is the most interesting wrinkle. He occupies a rare space in esports as both a team co-owner and an active competitor. His LPL experience gives Vietnam something most Southeast Asian rosters lack: a player who has competed at the absolute highest level of League of Legends for an extended period.
GAM Esports, long the standard-bearer for Vietnamese League of Legends, contributes core talent to the roster. The organization has represented Vietnam at multiple World Championships and Mid-Season Invitationals, making their players natural choices for a national team. Team Secret Whales, the Vietnamese arm of the broader Team Secret organization, and MVK Esports round out the talent pool.
The Esports Nations Cup explained
The ENC 2026 is the inaugural event organized by the Esports World Cup Foundation, running from November 21 to 29 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It features 32 national teams and a $1.5 million prize pool for the League of Legends competition alone.
The 32-team field is substantial. For context, the League of Legends World Championship typically features 20 to 24 teams depending on the format year. A 32-team bracket means deeper representation from regions that rarely get a seat at the international table.
Vietnam’s broader esports ambitions
This roster announcement doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Vietnam’s preparation for the ENC runs parallel to its planning for the 2026 Asian Games, where esports is set to be featured as a medal event. The overlap means Vietnam is simultaneously building national rosters across multiple competitive titles, and League of Legends is front and center.
Vietnam’s early roster announcement, months before the November event, suggests the team intends to use the intervening time for serious preparation rather than treating this as a last-minute exhibition.
The wild card is how SofM’s dual role as competitor and team co-owner plays out in practice. Managing the mental load of ownership responsibilities while maintaining the mechanical sharpness required to jungle at an international level is no small ask, especially for a player born in 1998 who has been competing professionally for nearly a decade.
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