Global e-sports conference in Riyadh ends with new tournaments announced, industry deals signed

RIYADH: The New Global Sport Conference 2025, held alongside the closing weekend of the Esports World Cup in Riyadh, finished Monday with a series of announcements and partnerships aimed at shaping the future of gaming and electronic sports.

The event, organized by the Esports World Cup Foundation, brought together more than 1,500 delegates, including 500 CEOs from the gaming, sports, technology and investment sectors.

Senior Saudi officials, including Sports Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal and Saudi Esports Federation Chairman Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan, outlined the Kingdom’s ambitions to make gaming and e-sports a driver of future economic growth.

A key announcement was the launch of the Esports Nations Cup, the first international competition where national teams will represent their countries.

The inaugural edition is scheduled for November 2026. Ubisoft’s Francois-Xavier Deniele said: “There is something different with nations, this sentiment of pride that continues to grow around the world.”

Hans Jagnow, director of NGSC 2025, said the scale of collaboration marked a turning point for the industry.

“NGSC 2025 has solidified its role as the platform where the future of our industries is shaped,” he said. “The outcomes of this year’s conference will set the direction of our industry and drive the growth and transformation of gaming and e-sports worldwide.”

Ubisoft also unveiled a partnership with Saudi Arabia to recreate AlUla, a UNESCO World Heritage site, as free playable content in “Assassin’s Creed Mirage.”

CEO Yves Guillemot described it as “an opportunity to share Saudi Arabia’s cultural heritage with players worldwide.”

Panels and sessions featured leading figures including