In a striking turn of events, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have together agreed to terminate their 12-year deal to host the inaugural Olympic Esports Games in Riyadh. 

Announced during the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics, the partnership had scheduled the first Esports Olympics in Riyadh, originally this year and later postponed to 2027.

According to the IOC the deal was ended “mutually” after a review with the Esports World Cup Foundation and Saudi Olympic officials. Both parties will now pursue their own esports ambitions separately. 

For Saudi Arabia, the initiative had been positioned as a key pillar of its Vision 2030 sports diversification drive led by Mohammed bin Salman — but other major projects continue, including the Kingdom’s annual Esports World Cup.

The IOC said it would now “develop a new approach” and “pursue a new partnership model” for the Esports Olympics, aiming to align the event more closely with long-term Olympic values and ambitions. 

This cancellation marks a rare setback for a high-profile Saudi-backed sports initiative, and signals a recalibration of how the traditional Olympic movement approaches digital gaming and esports.