Saudi Arabia to host first Olympic Esports games in 2027

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has announced that the first Olympic Esports Games will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in 2027, The Arab Weekly via Reuters reported.

The event forms part of a 12-year agreement with the kingdom, signed last year.

The IOC has been exploring opportunities in Esports for several years, recognising the need to engage a younger audience as the demographic of traditional Olympic viewership shifts. A dedicated Esports commission was established to integrate competitive gaming into the Olympics.

“There is now a very clear roadmap to the historic first-ever Olympic Esports Games,” IOC President Thomas Bach said in a statement. “With the road to the Olympic Esports Games starting this year, the Games are becoming a reality.”

The Olympic Virtual Series was a pilot initiative launched in 2021 that served as a precursor to the event. Following its success, the IOC moved forward with formalising Esports as part of its long-term strategy. A six-member committee has been appointed to determine which games will feature in the inaugural competition.

Saudi Arabia has positioned itself as a key player in global sports investment, securing major events in football, Formula One, boxing, and golf. The kingdom will also host the 2034 FIFA World Cup.

However, the kingdom still faces a lot of backlash internationally. Senior British officials ignored legal advice which urged the UK government to halt arms sales to Saudi Arabia during its war on Yemen, Middle East Eye reported on February 10th. Former Foreign Official Mark Smith told the Guardian that the UK was “fully aware that Saudi air strikes were causing civilian casualties [in Yemen]….[yet] reports were repeatedly returned with instructions to ‘rebalance’ the findings – to downplay evidence of civilian harm and emphasise diplomatic efforts, regardless of the facts.”

The Arab Weekly via Reuters, Middle East Eye