IOC parts ways with Saudi Arabia on Olympic Esports Games deal
| Date | Type | Companies Involved | Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 3, 2025 | partnership | Not disclosed |
- The IOC plans a new partnership model for the Olympic Esports Games following its “Pause and Reflect” review.
- Both the IOC and the Esports World Cup Foundation agreed to part ways and pursue independent esports goals.
- The IOC’s new approach aims to align esports with the Olympic Movement’s long-term ambitions.
- The Olympic Esports Games will focus on broader inclusion and global participation under the new model.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Saudi Arabia's Olympic and Paralympic Committee (SOPC) have ended their one-year esports partnership to pursue separate initiatives.
Both the IOC, SOPC and the Esports World Cup Foundation mutually agreed to end their cooperation and pursue separate esports goals.
The IOC ended its partnership with the KSA 14 months after announcing a 12-year deal for the Olympic Esports Games, originally planned for Riyadh.
The IOC said it will now create a new approach and partnership model for the Olympic Esports Games based on its “Pause and Reflect” review.
New vision
The IOC said its new approach aims to align the Olympic Esports Games with the Olympic Movement’s long-term goals and launch the inaugural event soon.
“This approach will be a chance to better fit the Olympic Esports Games to the long-term ambitions of the Olympic Movement and to spread the opportunities presented by the Olympic Esports Games more widely, with the objective of having the inaugural Games as soon as possible," said the IOC in a statement.
“The overwhelming feedback received from the Olympic Movement stakeholders and the esports community shows that there is a great desire and considerable support for the initiative."
This development follows news from February, when the IOC postponed the first-ever Olympic Esports Games to 2027, citing the need for more time to refine its hosting and financing model.
At the time, the IOC also named the Esports World Cup Foundation as a founding partner to help shape the event’s game selection, tournament structure, and broader esports ecosystem engagement.