Olympics agrees 12-year deal with Saudi Arabia for Esports Games

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has announced a 12-year agreement to host the Olympic Esports Games in Saudi Arabia.

The partnership between the IOC and the Saudi NOC will see the Olympic Esports Games held regularly, the pair said in an announcement on Friday, with the inaugural event taking place in 2025.

Saudi Arabia has invested heavily in eSports, most recently holding the Esports World Cup in Riyadh.

“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. The Olympic Esports Games will greatly benefit from this experience,” 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 engagement with the young audience, which is embracing esports.”

HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Faisal, Minister of Sport and President of the Saudi Arabian Olympic and Paralympic Committee, added: “Saudi Arabia is hugely excited by the prospect of partnering with the IOC and helping to welcome a completely new era for international sport.

“We believe that to take part in the Olympic Games is one of the greatest honours any athlete can achieve. And we are proud to support the writing of a new chapter in Olympic history that has the potential to inspire new dreams and new ambitions for literally millions of athletes around the world.”

The kingdom’s Public Investment Fund (PIF)  has made a series of investments in the video games industry in recent years and is central to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s goal of making the Saudi economy less reliant on proceeds from oil.

The PIF has stakes in Electronic Arts, Take-Two, Nintendo and more.

PIF’s continued investments in video game companies may raise concerns for some, given Saudi Arabia’s longstanding history of human rights abuses. Many critics have accused it of “sportswashing” to improve its international reputation.