SEF Arena hosts Esports World Cup weekend watch parties

RIYADH: Saudi esports fans are being invited to share the excitement of the Esports World Cup live from the SEF Arena in Boulevard Riyadh City at special weekend watch parties that will be held for the duration of the seven-week tournament.

Organized by the Saudi Esports Federation, the events run from 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. every Friday, Saturday and Sunday through Aug. 23, with all of the action broadcast onto big screens in the dedicated fan zone.

More than 2,000 players from 200 clubs and more than 100 countries are competing at this year’s EWC, which opened on July 6 in Paris. They will compete in 25 championships covering 24 games for a record prize pool of $75 million, of which $30 million is dedicated to the club championship.

Among the top teams at this year’s event are Saudi Arabia’s Team Falcons, which have won the past two club championships, and Twisted Minds, which have won more than 60 international championships since their establishment in 2021.

The federation’s CEO Rawan Al-Butairi said: “SEF Arena represents the pulse of esports in the Kingdom and the place where this promising sector was born.

“Today we take pride in the level of Saudi clubs and their achievements, which reflect the growth of this sector locally and globally.

“Our goal is to give our community a space to come together and experience the spirit of the Esports World Cup as one. This is only the beginning of seven extraordinary weeks.”