Saudi Arabia has announced the launch of the Esports World Cup to be held annually in Riyadh from Summer 2024. This announcement was made today by Saudi’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The Esports World Cup will be the largest global event of its kind to support the gaming and esports sector in the country and further cement Saudi’s position as a hub for international esports and sports competition.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said:
“The Esports World Cup is the natural next step in Saudi Arabia’s journey to become the premier global hub for gaming and esports, offering an unmatched esports experience that pushes the boundaries of the industry. The competition will boost our progress towards realizing the Vision 2030 objectives of diversifying the economy, growing the tourism sector, creating new jobs in various industries, and providing world-class entertainment for citizens, residents, and visitors alike.”
Furthermore, the tournament will feature the biggest prize pool ever seen in esports which will surpass the previous $45 million shared during the 2023 Gamers8 Festival, also organized by Saudi.
The Esports World Cup will be the first of its kind. Even though there have been World Cups in esports before, they usually feature only one game and teams from certain regions. This new Esports World Cup will feature multiple categories with racing, sports simulations, MOBA, fighting, first-person shooter, third-person shooter, and battle royale games all considered.
With the best teams from all around the world set to compete in different games, the Esports World Cup will certainly be one to watch out for in 2024.