It’s official: the Esports World Cup is heading back to Saudi Arabia in 2027. After the 2026 edition was moved to Paris, Riyadh is once again set to take center stage as the host for this major event.
Fans can expect the 2027 Esports World Cup to land sometime between July and August, keeping its spot on the annual calendar. This return to Riyadh marks a homecoming for the tournament after the 2026 relocation, which was decided in light of the regional situation at the time.
But that’s not all for Riyadh in 2027; the city is also slated to host the inaugural Esports Nations Cup in November. Originally planned for November 2026, the Esports Foundation chose to push the competition back after carefully assessing the regional landscape and chatting with key stakeholders.
Even with the delay, the qualifying process is already mostly complete, and Riyadh remains the definitive destination. According to the Esports Foundation, the extra time is all about giving national teams, publishers, partners, and fans a bit more stability and certainty.
The organization also pointed out that Saudi Arabia is more than ready to host world-class sports and entertainment, noting that other major events are still moving forward exactly as planned.
With the Esports World Cup kicking things off over the summer and the Nations Cup following in November, 2027 is shaping up to be a massive year for Saudi Arabia as a global esports' hub. And Saudi Arabia is still not done.
Road to the Olympic Esports Games
The buzz around the first-ever Olympic Esports Games is officially picking up speed! The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee (SOPC) have just laid out a clear roadmap to bring this vision to life.
The "Road to the Olympic Esports Games" kicks off in 2025, marking a huge milestone for the competition. IOC President Thomas Bach shared that this roadmap is the key to turning the project into a reality, while also celebrating the deepening partnership between the IOC and the SOPC.
Saudi Arabia is taking a front-row seat in both developing and hosting the Games. Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Faisal noted that the immediate timeline gives everyone involved some much-needed clarity, with the mission now focused on delivering an incredible event and opening new doors for esports athletes everywhere.
To keep things moving, a joint committee has been formed to lead the preparations. Chaired by IOC Member Ser Miang Ng and co-chaired by Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Faisal, the group includes three representatives from each side. Their big task? Helping decide which esports titles will actually make the cut for the inaugural Games.
This move is part of Saudi Arabia’s massive push into the world of international sports. They’ve already hosted over 100 major events across football, motorsports, tennis, and more, drawing in over three million fans along the way.
It’s clearly working at home, too; sports participation in Saudi Arabia has more than tripled since 2015, with nearly half the population now getting involved!
Sources: