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3h ago

IOC and Saudi Arabia End 12-Year Olympic Esports Deal After 14 Months

The split forces a reset of the IOC's esports push, leaving the inaugural event without a host or date.

The Eiffel Tower is seen through a net with a part of the logo of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games from the Trocadero square in Paris, France, July 3, 2024. REUTERS/Yara Nardi
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Before the deal between Saudi Arabia and the International Olympic Committee fell through, the first Olympic Esports Games were meant to be held in Riyadh in 2027. AP
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Overview

  • They mutually ended cooperation on the Olympic Esports Games following a review that included the Esports World Cup Foundation, the IOC said.
  • Riyadh is no longer set to host, and the 2027 debut previously slated for Saudi Arabia has been removed from the calendar.
  • The IOC will develop a new approach and seek a different partnership model, aiming to stage the first Games as soon as possible without confirming timing or venue.
  • Efforts to integrate esports into the Olympic framework face hurdles over publisher rights, national-team and anti-doping structures, and the IOC's non‑violence criteria for game selection.
  • Saudi organizations will continue separate projects, including the Esports World Cup and a planned Esports Nations Cup in Riyadh in November 2026.