First Rainbow Six World Cup set to launch in 2021 with 45 participating countries

The first World Cup for Rainbow Six will gather 45 country-based teams to compete in a tournament hosted in 2021, Ubisoft announced in the Ubisoft Forward event earlier today.

The dates, prize pool, and format for this tournament are yet to be announced. The player selection process to create these country-based teams is also unclear.

Country-based team tournaments are usually highly requested from esports communities. They’re also efficient ways to bring together the fans and a wider community who wishes to cheer for their country, as seen by the success of the Overwatch World Cup and PUBG Nations Cup in past years.

“For fans, it will be the opportunity to share their love, pride and unconditional support with the team that will represent them on the worldwide stage,” the 2021 R6 World Cup description reads.

Related: Rainbow Six Siege moves November Major online, competitions to be regional

This event will be the first global country-based team tournament on Ubisoft’s tactical shooter since its release in 2015. Forty-five teams will compete for the title of the best country in the Rainbow Six Siege competitive scene, 14 of which will be directly invited. The other 31 will have to battle it out in a qualifier.

Here are the teams that will compete directly in the final stage of the R6 World Cup. Most of them include teams who compete in official regional leagues.

• Germany
• Spain
• United-Kingdom
• Italy
• France
• Russia
• South Korea
• Japan
• Chinese Taipei (Taiwan)
• Australia
• United-States
• Canada
• Brazil
• Mexico

Former French-American basketball star Tony Parker, who’s also the owner of an esports academy in France called Adéquat Academy, will endorse the tournament as its official ambassador. His role includes being involved in the whole process of creating the tournament and meeting the participants.

“I’m excited to meet all the players and explain to them how special it is to play for your country,” Parker said in the Ubisoft Forward interview. “It’s very different than team-playing, like if you go to your country and hear your national anthem, you have the goosebumps and you know it’s a great honor.”