IOC and Saudi Arabia Set to Host Olympic Esports Games 2025, Industry Lauds Move Notably, the partnership will see the Olympic Esports Games being held regularly for 12 years.

Following the Executive Board of the International Olympic Committee's proposal of "Olympic Esports Games" to the 142nd IOC Session, the international committee announced it had partnered with the National Olympic Committee (NOC) of Saudi Arabia to host the inaugural Olympic Esports Games 2025.

"Saudi Arabia is hugely excited by the prospect of partnering with the IOC and helping to welcome a completely new era for international sport. We believe that to take part in the Olympic Games is one of the greatest honours any athlete can achieve. And we are proud to support the writing of a new chapter in Olympic history that has the potential to inspire new dreams and new ambitions for literally millions of athletes around the world," said HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Faisal, Minister of Sport and President of the Saudi Arabian Olympic and Paralympic Committee.

Notably, the partnership will see the Olympic Esports Games being held regularly for 12 years.

On why Saudi Arabia was the right partner for this initiative, Thomas Bach, President, IOC shared, "We are very fortunate to be able to work with the Saudi NOC on the Olympic Esports Games, because it has great – if not unique – expertise in the field of esports with all its stakeholders. The Olympic Esports Games will greatly benefit from this experience."

Since 2018, the Kingdom has hosted over 100 international events, including esports, football, motorsports, tennis, equestrian, and golf, attracting over 2.6 million sports fans.

Industry lauds the move

While the esports parties worldwide welcome the move, the announcement is humungous for India. According to the State of India Gaming Report 2022 from AWS and Lumikai, the number of esports players in the country grew from 150,000 in 2021 to 600,000 in 2022. It is expected to grow 2.5 times over the next five years to reach 1.5 million by 2027.

Akshat Rathee, Co-founder and MD of NODWIN Gaming feels that this recognition allows countries to develop independent esports programs.

"This initiative truly is a landmark moment for esports, bringing it the global recognition it has long earned. The inclusion of esports in the Olympic movement demonstrates its growing influence and cements its place in the future of sports," commented Roby John, CEO and Co-founder, SuperGaming.

"We are thrilled to see esports being embraced by the Olympic movement, reflecting the immense dedication, talent, and passion of the global gaming community. This development not only elevates the status of esports but also paves the way for greater opportunities and support for players and enthusiasts in India and beyond," Lokesh Suji, the Director of the ESFI, and the Vice President of the Asian Esports Federation (AESF) said.

The official statement also revealed that the IOC will create a new dedicated structure within its organisation, clearly separated from the organisational and financial model for the Olympic Games.

The proposal for having "Olympic Esports Games" for the IOC Session will be made on the eve of the Olympic Games Paris 2024.