The Esports World Cup, the next contender for the largest global esports event, was announced at the inaugural New Global Sport Summit held last year in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The announcement was made by the Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz.
The big news also came with the announcement of the Esports World Cup Foundation, a non-profit organisation that aims to drive a new era of collaboration between esports stakeholders and to enhance the sector’s sustainability.
“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,” shares His Royal Highness the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
“The competition will enhance 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,” he continues.
The tournament also builds on the gaming passion seen in Saudi Arabia’s youth-majority population, and on homegrown esports successes such as the first and second editions of GAMERS8. It also hopes to accelerate the realisation of the National Gaming and Esports Strategy, which aims to increase the sector’s contribution to Saudi Arabia’s GDP by more than SAR 50 billion by 2030 and create 39,000 new job opportunities.
The Esports World Cup will include the most popular games in the world across all genres and have the largest prize pool in esports history. The tournament will also feature a unique cross game competition format that will reward and incentivize clubs that take on the challenge to become the ultimate Esports World Cup Champion and support the growth and sustainability of all esports clubs.
More details about the Esports World Cup and Esports World Cup Foundation are expected to be revealed early this year.
