Inaugural Esports Olympic Games to be held in Saudi Arabia
The IOC and the National Olympic Committee of Saudi Arabia have entered a 12-year partnership to host the games
The International Olympic Committee has announced that the first Olympic Esports Games will be held in Saudi Arabia in 2025.
The IOC and the National Olympic Committee of Saudi Arabia have entered a 12-year partnership, and the games will be held at regular intervals. A city and venue have yet to be selected.
The IOC announced plans for an Olympic Esports Games last October. Esports featured in the 2022 Commonwealth Games, but will not appear in the 2026 event.
"We are very fortunate to be able to work with the Saudi NOC on the Olympic Esports Games, because it has great – if not unique – expertise in the field of esports with all its stakeholders," said IOC president Thomas Bach.
"By partnering with the Saudi NOC we have also ensured that the Olympic values are respected, in particular, with regard to the game titles on the programme, the promotion of gender equality, and the engagement with the young audience, which is embracing esports."
Saudi Arabia has been more and more active in the games and esports industry over the past few years, having invested $38 billion via its Public Investment Fund.
The PIF has stakes in companies including Electronic Arts, Nintendo, Nexon and Capcom.
These investments have been controversial due to Saudi Arabia's poor human rights record, including gender inequality and homosexuality being illegal and publishiable by life imprisonment to execution.