Niko Partners' Danial Ahmad explains where MENA gaming goes next, from esports and localization to regulation, talent and sustainable growth.

Image via NAFES Jordanian gaming and esports companies are set to gain access to technical support and potential funding under a new programme targeting the country’s creative industries. The National Fund for Enterprise Support (NAFES) has signed a memorandum of understanding with the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) to establish a joint support pathway for Jordanian small and medium-sized enterprises. Around 20 SMEs will be selected across three areas: gami

Image via GEMS Education Dubai-headquartered GEMS Education has appointed British Esports Federation founder and president Chester King as its Esports Ambassador as it develops a network-wide approach to esports across its schools. King will work with GEMS to connect existing esports initiatives across the education group through a shared framework covering learning, teacher development, industry engagement, competition and career pathways. GEMS School of Research and Innovat

Image via Entertainment & Leisure MENA DMCC Gaming Centre has joined Entertainment & Leisure MENA 2027 as its official Gaming Ecosystem Partner, as the Dubai exhibition expands its focus on gaming and esports. The partnership will see DMCC Gaming Centre contribute to the event’s gaming and esports programme, including industry content and networking aimed at connecting gaming companies with operators, technology providers, investors and brands. E&L MENA 2027 will take place a

Image via Olympic Council of Asia Kuwait will host the inaugural Asian Esports and Mind Sports Games in 2027, with around 4,000 athletes expected to take part in the new competition. The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) confirmed Kuwait as host after signing the Host City Contract on the sidelines of the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games in Japan. The event will bring esports together with mind sports in a standalone continental competition, although the full programme of games and

NIP Group CEO Hicham Chahine explains why Abu Dhabi is central to the company's plans to build gaming talent and a wider regional ecosystem.

Image via LunaTone Japanese gaming and esports company LunaTone has launched a new Middle East operation in Riyadh, expanding its presence in Saudi Arabia and the wider GCC. The Tokyo-based company said LunaTone ME will act as its regional base, connecting partners in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf with its gaming, esports, education and digital content capabilities and networks in Japan and South Korea. The Riyadh operation will be led by Metab Altawill, LunaTone’s Regional Direc

EWC 2026 viewership data from Esports Charts shows India led co-streaming audiences, while games drew sharply different regional and demographic profiles.

Image via Valve Saudi esports organisation Team Falcons has announced its withdrawal from competitive Dota 2, ending a nearly three-year run that included victory at The International 2025. Falcons confirmed the move following a strategic review of its esports plans for 2026 and beyond. “At Team Falcons, our goal is to build long-term, high-impact programs across global esports,” the organisation said in an official statement. Falcons said its global focus is shifting towards

Image via Jordan Olympic Committee Jordan has named the players who will represent the country across four esports titles at the 2026 Asian Games in Japan, as the national team steps up preparations for the event. The Jordanian team will compete in eFootball, eFootball Mobile, PUBG Mobile and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang at the 20th Asian Games, which will take place in Nagoya from September 19 to October 4, according to the Jordan Olympic Committee. Saif Dababneh will represent

Image via Esports Foundation Average live viewership for the Esports World Cup increased 37% year-on-year in 2026, reaching 145,100 viewers, according to a new report from Esports Charts. Total watch time also increased significantly, rising 29.5% compared with 2025 to more than 237 million hours watched across the tournaments and their qualifiers. The figures cover 25 esports tournaments and their qualifiers, with Esports Charts pointing to an expanded competition programme

Image via The National Development Fund (NDF) More than 127 game titles have received development support through Saudi Arabia's Gaming and Esports Financing Program, according to a new report detailing the programme's achievements. The National Development Fund (NDF) said more than SAR421 million ($112 million) in financing had been approved by the end of the fourth quarter of 2025, benefiting 82 entities across the sector. The programme has supported the completion of 43 g

Image via BSF / SEF Banque Saudi Fransi (BSF) has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Saudi Esports Federation to explore new financing products, investment programmes and specialised banking services for Saudi Arabia's growing gaming and esports sector. The agreement will see the two organisations explore ways of developing the financial ecosystem supporting gaming and esports companies, alongside potential sponsorship of initiatives and tournaments organised by th

Image via LEAP Leading figures from the Saudi Esports Federation (SEF), ESL FACEIT Group (EFG) and Hero Esports will come together at LEAP 2026 in Riyadh for a Main Stage discussion on the growing scale and commercial influence of competitive gaming. The “Esports: The Business of Play” panel will bring together HRH Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan Al Saud, chairman of SEF; Rawan Al Butairi, CEO of SEF; Niccolò Maisto, CEO of EFG; and Danny Tang, CEO of Hero Esports. HRH Pr

The Indie game development ecosystem is thriving in the MENA region and here are some of the names to watch out for.

The Middle East and North Africa gaming industry continues to expand, with a growing calendar of esports tournaments, gaming conventions, developer events, workshops and industry conferences taking place across the region. From major international esports competitions to developer-focused events in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, to community gaming tournaments in Kuwait, Qatar and Oman, there are plenty of dates for players, developers, publishers, brands and gaming profess

Virtuocity Battleground Qatar 2026 is now underway, with seven esports titles competing for a share of $200,000 through September 17. The tournament combines online competition with live action at Virtuocity Arena in Doha Festival City. Its lineup features Fortnite, PUBG Mobile, Valorant, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, EA Sports FC 26, Tekken 8 and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Fortnite, PUBG Mobile, Valorant and Mobile Legends players can compete in online and LAN qualifiers. EA S

Image via Esports Foundation The Esports Foundation (EF) today announced that the inaugural Esports Nations Cup (ENC), originally scheduled to take place in November 2026 in Riyadh, will be postponed to November 2027, following ongoing assessment of the wider regional situation, and after consultation with key stakeholders. Given ENC’s unprecedented international scale and the uncertainty created by the wider regional situation, EF believes moving the inaugural competition to

Image via Kingdom of Bahrain The Euro University of Bahrain held the closing ceremony of the Euro Game Jam 2026 gaming and eSports initiative, attended by Dr. Mohammed bin Mubarak Juma, Minister of Education and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Higher Education Council. Dr. Juma said such initiatives are a successful example of cooperation between higher education institutions and emerging sectors, providing students and young people with practical opportunities to

Developed with Kolex, the inaugural EWC 2026 trading card collection celebrates the players and Clubs of the world's largest esports and gaming event.