‘Incredible talent’: Saudi eLeague Fighting Season 3 champions point to bright future for Kingdom’s gamers

RIYADH: The head of esports product at the Saudi Esports Federation, Abdullah Al-Nasser, has praised the “incredible talent” that emerged in the recent Saudi eLeague Fighting Season 3.

The championship, which took place in August at the SEF Arena in Riyadh Boulevard City, brought together top local and international Street Fighter 6 and Tekken 8 players, highlighting the Kingdom’s ever-growing gaming scene.

The double-elimination format produced memorable moments, such as in the Street Fighter 6 tournament playoffs when Turkiabc of The Vicious Esports battled to a hard-fought 3-2 victory over vWsym of Twisted Minds, securing third place on the podium.

The Grand Final delivered a dramatic comeback as Latif of Twisted Minds, coming from a remarkable run through the losers’ bracket, faced off against Kusanagi of Team Falcons. In a high-intensity showdown, Latif prevailed 3-1 to claim the championship title and the SAR10,000 ($2,667) prize.

The final standings showed the depth of talent within Saudi Arabia’s esports ecosystem, with Latif of Twisted Minds taking first place, Kusanagi of Team Falcons finishing second, and Turkiabc of The Vicious Esports securing third.

Al-Nasser said: “The Saudi eLeague Fighting continues to showcase the incredible talent emerging from across the Kingdom, as Season 3 set a new standard for competitive play. The league is a testament to the depth of talent and dedication of Saudi esports athletes, where they can compete at the highest level, refine their skills and inspire the next generation of esports athletes in Saudi Arabia. We can’t wait to build on this momentum in Season 4 and deliver even more thrilling competition and standout performances.”

In TEKKEN 8, the top players competed