Video Game Olympics Leave Saudi Arabia
A deal that was supposed to last 12 years ends prematurely
In 2024, the International Olympic Committee and Saudi Arabia's National Olympic Committee struck a historic agreement regarding the organization of the Olympic Esports Games: the Saudi country was supposed to host the video game Olympics for a full 12 years, starting with the first edition in 2025. Subsequently, the first edition was moved to 2027, but there's a plot twist: the divorce between the IOC and the Saudis.
The Uncertain Future of the Olympic Esports Games
In an official statement, the IOC announced that it had re-examined the matter with the Saudi Olympic Committee and the Esports World Cup Foundation: the parties concluded that they would terminate their cooperation here. It is added that the IOC and the Saudis will continue to pursue their ambitions in the field of esports, but following separate paths: the logical consequence is that the Riyadh games of 2027 are canceled (although this is not explicitly stated in the communiqué).
The IOC goes on to state that it wants to adopt a different approach to the problem, learning from the feedback received during this recent period of reflection. For the video game Olympics, the Committee will therefore adopt a different partnership model: the goal is to be able to hold the inaugural games as soon as possible.
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