Surprise: Saudi Arabia to Host $10M E-sports World Cup in 2024!

Imagine that a big event like the football World Cup will be coming soon for the esports version!

This is surprisingly coming soon, as early as next year, and will be initiated by the 'Petro Dollar' country, Saudi Arabia.

The largest oil-producing country in the world has a flashy ambition, namely to launch the Esports World Cup by competing in popular branches with a total prize pool of 10 million US dollars (150 billion Rupiah), the largest in the history of gaming competitions.

The Esports World Cup is expected to materialize the goals envisioned in Saudi Arabia’s National Gaming and Esports Strategy. It aims to increase the sector’s contribution to the Kingdom’s gross domestic product by more than SR50 billion ($13.3 billion) by 2030.

2024 ESPORTS WORLD CUP AT RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA

Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman, made the announcement. He said that the first event will be held in Riyadh next summer. According to the statement, clubs will compete in various types of games to become the ultimate eSports World Cup champion. Officials pointed out that this event will help Saudi Arabia accelerate the implementation of its national gaming and e-sports strategy.

The titles to be included in the Esports World Cup have not been announced yet. However, they were described as including the most popular games in the world across all key genres. The tournament will replace Gamers8, the Saudi Esports Federation’s existing $45 million esports festival in Riyadh. The indoor tournament is planned as a key attraction to bolster Saudi tourism during the summer.

It will serve as a platform that supports the gaming and esports sector, consolidating Saudi Arabia’s position as a hub for global esports.

CONCLUSION

The Esports World Cup is a significant development in the esports industry. It is expected to attract a large audience and generate significant revenue. The tournament will provide a platform for gamers from around the world to compete and showcase their skills, and it will also help to develop the esports ecosystem in Saudi Arabia and the wider region.

The establishment of the Esports World Cup Foundation is a positive step towards increasing collaboration between esports stakeholders and developing the talent pool in the region. However, the tournament’s announcement has also been met with criticism, and it remains to be seen how the esports community will respond to the event.