The first Olympic Esports Games will take place in Riyadh in 2027.

11.02.2025

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3 min.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has announced that the first Olympic Esports Games will take place in 2027 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Initially, the event was scheduled for 2025, but the dates have been revised.

The Road to the Olympic Esports Games

The IOC is actively exploring ways to integrate esports into the Olympic movement to attract a younger audience. In 2021, the pilot project, the Olympic Virtual Series, was launched. To prepare for the first Olympic Esports Games, a six-person commission has been created to determine which disciplines will be included in the program.

Collaboration with Saudi Arabia

To organize the event, the IOC has entered into a 12-year partnership with the Saudi Arabian National Olympic Committee. Riyadh, the capital of the country, will be the host city for the inaugural Olympic Esports Games.

IOC President Thomas Bach noted that there is a clear "roadmap" leading to the first-ever Olympic Esports Games, and they are becoming a reality. It is expected that qualifying competitions will begin this year, emphasizing the IOC's commitment to integrating esports into the Olympic movement.

Saudi Arabia is heavily investing in sports events, including football, Formula 1, boxing, and golf, and will host the 2034 FIFA World Cup. The country has previously faced accusations of using sports to divert attention from human rights issues, which it denies.

Earlier, CyberScore reported that Valve announced the date and location for The International 2025.