Esports Olympics to debut in Saudi Arabia later than expected in 2027

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LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — The first Olympic Esports Games will be hosted in Riyadh in 2027, two years later than expected when a 12-year deal with Saudi Arabia was signed last year.

The International Olympic Committee said Tuesday its founding partner for the event will be the kingdom’s Esports World Cup Foundation.

The first annual Esports World Cup was held last July and August in Riyadh with tens of millions of dollars in prize money paid for games including Call of Duty, Fortnite and Street Fighter.

It is unclear which, if any, shooter games the IOC will allow on the Esports Olympics program, which it has repeatedly said must align with Olympic values.

A six-person panel, co-chaired by veteran IOC member Ser Miang Ng and Saudi sports minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Faisal, will work on deciding the games program, the IOC said.

Details of the inaugural Esports Olympics were confirmed two days after Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman hosted a visiting Olympic delegation in Riyadh, including its president Thomas Bach, who leaves office in June.

The 12-year deal was confirmed last July on the eve of the Paris Olympics as the latest prime sporting asset for the oil-rich kingdom to own or host. FIFA confirmed Saudi Arabia as host of the 2034 World Cup in men's soccer in December.

IOC members were told in Paris the vision for the Esports Olympics was to hold it every two years starting in 2025, with “physical, simulated and electronic games” included.

Qualifying competitions for national teams are set to start this year.

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AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports