Saudi Arabia’s capital is currently hosting a major sporting event that’s giving the tourism industry a bit of a boost. And you’ll never guess which sport…

We’ll spare you the brain power because no, it’s not soccer-related and no, it’s not an offshoot of the Olympics (although next year it will be). It’s esports. Controller-holding, headphone-wearing, solo-sitting esports.

The Esports World Cup at Boulevard Riyadh City started on 3 July and is in its sixth week, with the tournament scheduled for completion around 25 August 2024. While it seems an unlikely sport to attract tourists, the Saudi Arabia tournament is the largest in the event’s history, with over 1,500 players from 500 clubs in attendance along with their families, friends and other esport enthusiasts.

The boost in players partaking in games such as ‘Street Fighter 6’ and ‘Fortnite’ can be attributed to the $60 million pool prize (someone pass me a controller!!) that’s up for grabs, the largest in gaming history. Saudi Arabia’s tactical 90-day e-visa for tournament attendees, may have also helped.

Of course, the Esports World Cup event is just a warm-up for next year, when the Kingdom hosts the inaugural Olympic Esports Games. Much like the games currently taking place in Paris but perhaps on a smaller scale, the Olympic event is expected to attract competitors and visitors from around the world.

The esports events are just the latest in Saudi Arabia’s investment in sporting tourism. Since 2018, the country has hosted over 100 international sport events, attracting 2.6 million sports fans to the country. Not looking to slow down anytime soon, the Kingdom recently announced plans to construct up to three new stadiums including a 92,000 capacity sports stadium in Riyadh and a 47,000 capacity stadium in Khobar. The Kingdom also recently submitted its bid to host the FIFA World Cup 20234.

Go team Saudi!