Opening day of New Global Sport Conference 2024 brings together thought leaders in Riyadh to shape the future of esports, gaming, sports, and entertainment

The New Global Sport Conference 2024 (NGSC) outlined Saudi Arabia’s ambition to be at the forefront of conversations about global nations and gaming and esports, as it brought together over 1,200 attendees from across the industry, sports, and entertainment. 

Hosted under the theme ‘The Future of Fandom’, the second edition of NGSC began at the Four Seasons Hotel Riyadh At Kingdom Center with the first of two days of meaningful dialogue, innovative ideas, and strategic collaborations. The illuminating discussions will help shape the future of esports, gaming, sports, and entertainment. 

Key panel sessions included ‘Game On, Saudi Arabia’, which featured speakers HRH Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan – Chairman of the Saudi Esports Federation & Vice Chairman of the Esports World Cup Foundation; H.E. Eng. Abdullah Alswaha – Minister of Communications and Information Technology; Adwa Al Arifi – Assistant Minister of Sport Affairs & Deputy Minister of Strategic Planning and Investment, Ministry of Sport; Brian Ward – CEO, Savvy Games Group; Mike Milanov – Chairman, Advisory Board Gaming & Esports, Qiddiya; and Arnold Hur – CEO, Gen.G Esports.

HRH Prince Faisal addressed Saudi Arabia’s ambitions to become a global hub for gaming and esports, commenting: “What do we mean by a global hub for gaming and esports? It doesn't mean that we're going to be the only place in the world that does this or that, or we plan to take over or invest in everything. It is simply that when you talk about esports, there are certain places in the world that come to the top of your mind. We want Saudi Arabia to be a natural part of that conversation.” 

With gaming such an avid part of modern Saudi Arabian culture, Ralf Reichert, CEO of the Esports World Cup Foundation, delivered the opening remarks of NGSC 2024 with a speech that touched on the importance of fans and fandom. 

Reichert said: “At the heart of the New Global Sport Conference, there are two key themes: fandom as our inspiration, and collaboration as our path forward.

“Fandom is the reason we are glued to our screens for those intense matches, proudly wear our team colors - even if they clash with our fashion sense! - and passionately debate who truly deserves the GOAT title.

“Speaking of GOATS, we're honored to have some on our stage this weekend. Magnus Carlsen, the undisputed GOAT of chess. And FalleN, the legendary GOAT of Counter-Strike.

“As we look ahead, it's clear that fandom is evolving at lightning speed, fueled by advancements in AR, VR, AI, social media, and streaming. But no matter how technology changes the game, the essence of fandom remains the same: It is about connecting with extraordinary entertainment that is beyond fun, that is meaningful. It is about community, belonging, and shared experiences.

“That's why we're all gathered here in Riyadh; not just to witness history, but to be a part of it. And let's face it, who doesn't want to be part of something truly epic?” 

Both NGSC and the inaugural Esports World Cup, which concludes on Sunday August 25 with an epic closing ceremony at Boulevard Riyadh City, are integral parts of Saudi Arabia’s National Gaming and Esports Strategy. The Strategy, launched two years ago, has the aim of making the Kingdom a global hub for gaming and esports by 2030. It will achieve an economic impact by contributing around $13 billion to the Kingdom’s GDP.

Throughout the day, NGSC attendees were introduced to an impressive program of panel talks and a roster of speakers from the esports, gaming, sports, business, and entertainment sectors. 

Other panel sessions included ‘Becoming a Modern Sports Hero’ with Gabriel “FalleN” Toledo, the Counter-Strike 2 star, and Patrice Evra, the former Manchester United UEFA Champions League and five-time Premier League winning footballer. 

‘A Historic Convergence of Esports’ was a fascinating taste of what is to come in 2025 when Saudi Arabia hosts the inaugural Olympic Esports Games. Speakers for the panel were Ser Miang Ng, Vice President of the International Olympic Committee; David Lappartient, IOC Member & Chair of the IOC Esports Commission, President of Union Cycliste Internationale; Abdulaziz Baeshen, Secretary General and CEO of the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee; and Reichert. 

Day two sessions include official opening remarks from HRH Prince Faisal, followed by ‘Chess, Esports: Strategy Redefined Together: From the Chessboard to the Digital Arena’, which includes Magnus Carlsen, the World Chess Champion. 

‘Traditional Sports in the Esports Era: Bridging the Gap Between Traditional Sports & Esports Audiences’ and ‘Creating Fan Favorite Games: Exploring Key Factors for Video Game Longevity in Development & Publishing’ are among the other topics under discussion on day two.