Riyadh to Host Esports World Cup from 2024

Riyadh will host the Esports World Cup every year beginning in the summer of 2024, according to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Crown Prince Mohammed of Saudi Arabia announced that the Gamers8 tournament, which is held annually in Riyadh, will be transformed into the Esports World Cup from 2024 onwards. The Esports World Cup is expected to have the biggest prize pool in history and will feature competitions in several top esports games across different genres.

We are future-hosting, world-racing 🌍

The key highlights of the Esports World Cup that has been shared
through #NGSC2023 🤩 pic.twitter.com/41e2D5P6gT

— الاتحاد السعودي للرياضات الإلكترونية (@Saudi_Esports) October 23, 2023

Saudi Arabia plans to become an Esports hub, starting with a World Cup

At the New Global Sports Conference in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia declared its goal to establish itself as a worldwide hub for gaming and esports. As a part of this goal, Saudi’s Crown Prince has officially launched the Esports World Cup.

According to Saudi Prince Salman, the purpose of the event is to advance the National Gaming and Esports Strategy, which the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia unveiled in September 2022 as a plan to expand the country’s esports sector.

The Crown Prince stated in a statement that the competition will assist in achieving the nation’s Vision 2030 goals of expanding the tourist industry, diversifying the economy, and generating new employment. Among its objectives is to increase the sector’s contribution to the country’s GDP by $13.3 billion and create 39,000 new jobs by 2030.

The Esports World Cup Foundation, a recently established non-profit, will oversee the competition. Ralf Reichert, the Chairman of ESL FACEIT, has been named CEO of the foundation. The Esports World Cup Foundation aims to improve the sustainability of the esports industry and foster cooperation between its stakeholders.

Just in from #NGSC2023📢:
Esports industry @RalfReichert will head the new Esports World Cup Foundation as CEO.#esportsworldcup #futureofesports pic.twitter.com/qREOrhDVZb

— الاتحاد السعودي للرياضات الإلكترونية (@Saudi_Esports) October 23, 2023

 

The Esports World Cup’s game lineup is yet unknown, although it’s anticipated to include several well-known esports games, such as Fortnite, Dota 2, Tekken, FIFA, PUBG, and Rainbow Six Siege. Major league teams including G2, Vitality, NiP, 100 Thieves, Guild, LGD, and Falcons have committed to attend, and many more are anticipated, according to sources from Esports Advocate.

Is there any hidden motive behind Saudi Arabia’s Esports Investments?

The esports ecosystem in Saudi Arabia is experiencing a rapid rise in both popularity and value, thanks to the country’s next-generation infrastructure and billion-dollar financial backing. The country is making headlines in the esports space with its acquisition of the ESL FACEIT Group, launch of a $45 million esports event, and announcement of an ambitious $38 billion investment plan in gaming and esports.

However, Saudi Arabia’s unexpected interest in esports and sports, in general, has given rise to accusations of “sportswashing,” with many contending that the country is trying to swiftly transform its reputation by investing heavily in the esports sector. The nation’s anti-LGBTQ+ legislation and human rights violations have drawn criticism from the West, which links these efforts to larger, intentional propaganda campaigns to change the country’s image.

Image via Saudi Esports Federation