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On Monday, October 24, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman announced the launch of the annual Esports World Cup, which will be held from 2024 onwards, in the capital city of Riyadh. It will feature some of the most popular games across various genres, while boasting the largest prize pool in the history of esports.
The Esports World Cup will serve as a platform for Saudi Arabia to support its gaming and esports sector, with an expectation to materialise the goals envisioned in their National Gaming and Esports Strategy. In their bid to become the hub of international esports, the Saudi Arabian Crown Prince also announced the establishment of Esports World Cup Foundation, a non-profit organisation to increase collaboration between all the stakeholders involved.
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The launch of this tournament aims to increase the contribution of the gaming sector to the gross domestic product of Saudi Arabia by more than $13.3 billion by 2030, while creating 39,000 new job opportunities. The announcement of the Esports World Cup came during “The New Global Sports Conference” in Riyadh.
The statement from Mohammed bin Salman regarding the new development read, “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.”
“The competition will enhance our progress toward 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,” it further read.