IOC and SOPC Confirm First Olympic Esports Games for 2027
– 2 min read
The rumours have been confirmed: the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has announced that the first Olympic Esports Games will take place in 2027 in Riyadh. The event will be organised in collaboration with the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee (SOPC), with the Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) on board as a founding partner.
Just a few days ago, speculation was mounting that the ambitious plan to hold the first Olympic Esports Games in 2025 would not be feasible. However, the IOC had not officially commented on the matter. GamesMarkt also reached out to the IOC for clarification but received no response. Now, the IOC has made it official: the first Olympic Esports Games will be held in 2027 in Riyadh, in cooperation with the SOPC. This collaboration comes as no surprise, given that the IOC and Saudi Arabia had already signed a multi-year framework agreement.
Another expected development has also been confirmed: the Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF), which organised the inaugural Esports World Cup in 2024, will play a key role as a founding member of the Olympic Esports Games. The EWCF will contribute its expertise in game selection, tournament structures, and esports ecosystem development.
"The IOC and EWCF will collaborate closely with key stakeholders to establish qualification pathways, enhance competitive integrity, and align national esports ecosystems with broader global standards," the IOC stated in its press release.
IOC President Thomas Bach commented: "There is now a very clear roadmap to the historic first-ever Olympic Esports Games. With the Road to the Olympic Esports Games starting this year, the Games are becoming a reality. This is further evidence of the strength of the partnership between the IOC and the SOPC in many areas."
HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Faisal added: "Today, the journey to the first-ever Olympic Esports Games is clear, with an immediate timeline that works for all parties and sees the Road to the Olympic Esports Games start in 2025. Together with the IOC, there is real momentum, unity, and clarity on the way forward, with the focus now on delivering.
"Saudi Arabia is already looking forward to welcoming the world and playing its part in helping the dreams of so many esports athletes come true. Just as we are seeing across all sports in the Kingdom, there is real growth and new opportunities to grasp as part of an exciting future for all."
Written by
Stephan Steininger is Director of Operations and Editor-in-Chief of GamesMarket. As part of the magazine since its inception in 2001, he knows the GSA games industry by heart.
