IOC, Saudi Arabia end partnership on inaugural Olympic Esports Games
The decision brings to a close a 12-year partnership that had positioned Saudi Arabia as host of the inaugural event, originally scheduled to take place in 2027 in Riyadh.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee (SOPC) have mutually agreed to end their cooperation on the much-anticipated Olympic Esports Games, after reviewing the initiative with the Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF).
The decision brings to a close a 12-year partnership that had positioned Saudi Arabia as host of the inaugural event, originally scheduled to take place in 2027 in Riyadh.
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In a statement, the IOC said it would pursue a new approach to the Olympic Esports Games, taking into account feedback from its “Pause and Reflect” process.
The organisation noted that the move aims to better align the Games with the long-term ambitions of the Olympic Movement and to expand opportunities for participation across the global esports community. While the inaugural event will no longer be hosted in Saudi Arabia, the IOC reaffirmed its commitment to holding the first Olympic Esports Games as soon as possible.
"In the last year, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee (SOPC) have discussed the concept of the Olympic Esports Games at length in line with the partnership they announced in 2024. Recently, the two parties and the Esports World Cup Foundation sat down again and reviewed this initiative. They mutually agreed that they will end their cooperation on the Olympic Esports Games. At the same time, both parties are committed to pursuing their own esports ambitions on separate paths," said the IOC.
The Olympic Esports Games initiative has generated significant enthusiasm among stakeholders within the Olympic Movement and the wider esports industry. The IOC has been exploring the integration of competitive video gaming into its activities for several years, launching the Olympic Virtual Series in 2021 as a pilot project to bridge traditional sports and digital competition.
During the 142nd IOC Session in July last year, the IOC executive board made a unanimous decision to create the Olympic Esports Games, originally to be held in 2025, with the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee selected as its first host partner.
Under the agreement, the IOC and SOPC were to collaborate for 12 years, while the Esports World Cup Foundation was named a founding partner, tasked with providing expertise in game selection and tournament structure.
"There is now a very clear roadmap to the historic first-ever Olympic Esports Games. With the road to the Olympic Esports Games starting this year, the Games are becoming a reality," said IOC President Thomas Bach.
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