The International Olympic Committee has cancelled a 12-year deal with Saudi Arabia that would have seen the first-ever Olympic esports games hosted in Riyadh. The IOC said in a statement that the parties had "mutually agreed that they will end their cooperation on the Olympic Esports Games."
It's a rare kick in the teeth for Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who's led a big push into videogames as part of an effort to burnish his reputation with the world at large, with the inaugural event due to have taken place this year before being pushed to 2027. Sporting events, and an official Olympic event in particular, are key parts of the Vision 2030 modernization drive whereby the oil-rich nation is chucking money at anything that might bring it a little more respectability on the world stage.
But Saudi Arabia will continue to forge its own path in esports, having recently announced plans for an Esports Nations Cup in November 2026. The esports scene generally has been financially struggling since the boom of the Covid-19 years, music to the ears of the Saudi Public Investment Fund, which can easily bankroll glitzy in-person events.
As well as esports, Saudi Arabia has an extensive list of gaming investments, including stakes in Take Two, Capcom, Nintendo, and many more. Most recently, it spearheaded a successful bid to buy Electronic Arts for $55 billion.
This is all in the context of even more eye-watering amounts being invested in traditional sports, as part of a tactic dubbed "sportswashing": essentially, distracting from the kingdom's horrific human rights record and anti-LGBT laws by hosting major sporting events and holding large stakes in key organisations. It will host the 2034 FIFA World Cup, and has ambitions to host a summer Olympics at some point.
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