IOC ends cooperation with Saudi Arabia on Olympic Esports Games

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced on October 30 that it will pursue a new direction for the Olympic Esports Games after ending its cooperation with the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee and the Esports World Cup Foundation, by mutual consent.

This decision marks the conclusion of a year-long collaboration to launch the inaugural Olympic Esports Games. The Games' creation was officially announced during the 142nd IOC Session in July 2024. Originally scheduled for this year, the IOC announced in February that the event would be postponed to 2027.

While the collaboration has ended, the IOC emphasized that it remains committed to the long-term vision of the Olympic Esports Games. The Committee will now incorporate valuable feedback from its "Pause and Reflect" process to develop a new partnership model.

This new approach is intended to better align the Olympic Esports Games with the Olympic Movement's long-term ambitions and expand the opportunities offered by the Games more widely, with the objective of hosting them as soon as possible.