Welcoming a Digital Future: Saudi Arabia to Host the First Edition of the eSports World Cup This Summer

The world's largest and first eSports World Cup is taking place in Riyadh this summer, and it’s bringing a grand winning prize along with it. 

USD 60 million. That is how much you could win if you decide to take part in the inaugural Esports World Cup hosted in Saudi Arabia this summer. Not only is the tournament providing the largest prize money to date, nor is it only hosting 2,500 players, the largest number of participants in eSports history, but it is also in itself the world’s first eSports world cup. Saudi Arabia certainly doesn’t shy away from extravagance.

Hosted in Riyadh, Saudi’s capital, the event is set to last for over a month, spanning from July 2nd all the way to the 25th of August. The inaugural Esports World Cup will welcome teams and clubs from all around the globe to compete in 19 eSports games, including but not limited to: League of Legends, Overwatch, Fortnite, DOTA 2, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, Free Fire, PUBG Mobile, Street Fighter, Teamfight Tactics, Starcraft, Rainbow Six Siege, and PUBG Battlegrounds. After eight long weeks of sweat-inducing competition, only one will come out victorious in winning the life-changing prize money and being titled the ultimate eSports Champion.

This exciting event is organized by the Esports World Cup Foundation in hopes of bringing gamers, publishers, producers, and fans together from all corners of the globe, all under one roof, with the aim of facilitating stronger connections between the members of the relatively contemporary community. Additionally, a projection of 2.9 million fans is expected to be in attendance at this legendary event. Other than the outstanding 645,000 sq. ft. of space that will hold four arenas, you can also expect two thrilling concerts and six electrifying drone and firework showcases to enjoy during breaks.

As a part of Saudi Arabia’s 2030 vision, the event aims to expand the country’s eSports industry, which will respectively boost its overall tourism industry. The country acknowledges that eSports and video games have become so much more than just a hobby that one partakes in as a solitary event; they are now the future of the nation. Today, video game players do not view their playing as an extracurricular activity that they merely do in their pastime; it is now a full-time job and a future career for many of them.