NAIA and NACE announce the NAIA Esports Cup

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE) and the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) are thrilled to announce the NAIA Esports Cup, a first-of-its-kind collegiate esports national tournament exclusively for NAIA member institutions.

The NAIA Esports Cup is designed to further bridge the gap between traditional athletics and collegiate esports as the first official esports activation by a four-year college athletics association. 

NACE is the largest association of varsity esports programs at colleges and universities across North America. NACE was established in July 2016 by the NAIA and the NAIA Esports Cup will be the first formal collaboration between the two organizations. 

“Since the NAIA founded NACE ten years ago, we have watched collegiate esports expand rapidly,” said NAIA President and CEO Jim Carr. “We are excited to partner with NACE to offer this unique opportunity for NAIA members to compete against their peers on a national stage.”

The NAIA Esports Cup will be hosted online in Spring 2027 for NAIA institutions that are also members of NACE. A committee of NAIA program directors will work to develop the format and supported game titles for the tournament. 

To compete, institutions must abide by NACE’s bylaws, which state that schools must provide an esports lab (or otherwise designated space) for competition, compete from said esports lab during all NACE varsity competition, and competition must be supervised by a campus official. Additionally, competing students must be certified through the NACE Eligibility Center.

“Building on the success of our conference-level self-select program, the NAIA Esports Cup is our first step in exploring a national-level self-select experience.”  said Riley Long, Executive Director of NACE. “We are grateful to our partners at the NAIA for their support of this initiative, allowing peer institutions to compete for an NAIA title within the framework of education-first eligibility standards and in-house play.” 

To learn more about joining NACE and competing in the inaugural NAIA Esports Cup, contact NACE Senior Director of Membership & Operations Danan Flander or fill out a NACE Membership Inquiry.

About the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA)

The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), headquartered in Kansas City, Mo., is a governing body of small college athletics programs dedicated to character-driven, education-based athletics. Since 1937, the NAIA has balanced high-level competition with holistic student-athlete development through its commitment to The Right Way to Play®. Each year more than 89,000 NAIA student-athletes compete in college athletics, earn over $1.3 billion in financial aid, and pursue opportunities to participate in 31 national championships.

About the National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE)

The National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE) is the largest and most established association of varsity esports programs at colleges and universities across North America. Founded in 2016, NACE supports over 170 member institutions and more than 4,000 student-athletes, providing leadership, competition structure, and resources that help programs thrive. NACE is dedicated to the growth and legitimacy of collegiate esports, offering premier leagues, national championships, and strategic partnerships that enhance the student-athlete experience and promote success in education, competition, and future careers. Learn more at the Official NACE Website. 

Media Contact: Sheridan McGuire, NACE Marketing Manager, media@nacesports.org