Gaming and Esports Events in MENA 2026-2027

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 professionals to have on their radar.

Below are the confirmed gaming events taking place across MENA between August 2026 and August 2027. Please check back for regular updates to this list.

Virtuocity Battleground Qatar 2026

August 4 to September 17, 2026 | Doha, Qatar

Virtuocity Battleground Qatar 2026 is a major multi-title esports championship taking place at Virtuocity in Doha Festival City.

The tournament brings together competitive players, esports fans, creators and gaming communities, with competitions spanning PC, mobile, PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch.

Seven games feature across the programme, including Fortnite, PUBG Mobile, Valorant, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, EA Sports FC 26, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and Tekken 8.

The event also features live finals, creator showcases and a total prize pool of $200,000.

ESKO 2026, Electronic Sport Kuwait Open

August 27 to 29, 2026 | Kuwait

ESKO 2026 is a dedicated esports and gaming event bringing competitive gaming and the wider gaming community together in Kuwait.

Alongside esports tournaments, ESKO features gaming experiences, cosplay, workshops and community activities.

The workshops cover areas including game development, design and streaming, making ESKO relevant to aspiring gaming professionals as well as competitive players.

Middle East Film & Comic Con Gaming Arena

September 11 to 13, 2026 | Abu Dhabi, UAE

The Middle East Film & Comic Con Gaming Arena returns to ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi as part of MEFCC 2026.

While MEFCC covers the wider entertainment and pop-culture industry, its Gaming Arena is specifically dedicated to video games.

Visitors can expect gaming tournaments across console, PC and mobile, alongside game demos, gaming hardware and an Indie Game Zone showcasing games from developers and creators.

The Indie Game Zone also provides an opportunity for attendees interested in game development careers to meet developers and discover locally developed games.

FIA MENA Esports Championship Regional Qualifiers

September 18, 2026 | Regional MENA

The FIA MENA Esports Championship returns in 2026 with competitors from across the Middle East and North Africa racing on Gran Turismo 7.

National qualifying events take place across participating MENA countries before the strongest competitors progress to the Regional Qualifiers on September 18.

The top 24 drivers from the Regional Qualifiers will secure places in the championship final.

AAA Gaming Fest 2026

October 27 to 30, 2026 | Tunis, Tunisia

AAA Gaming Fest 2026 is a four-day gaming, game development and digital creation festival taking place across three venues in Tunis.

The event is designed to connect the gaming industries of Africa and the Arab world, with a programme covering video games, game development, AI, digital culture, entrepreneurship and education.

Activities include a Junior Hackathon, a 24-hour Senior Hackathon, workshops, mentoring, a startup pitch competition and opportunities for developers and creators to build and showcase new projects.

The final day will feature industry keynotes, a gaming study preview and award ceremonies, making the event relevant to developers, students, startups, gaming professionals and companies looking at the growth of the games industry across North Africa.

PG Connects Jordan

November 7 to 8, 2026 | Amman, Jordan

PG Connects Jordan is part of the global Pocket Gamer Connects conference series, bringing together developers, publishers, investors, platforms, service providers, and other games-industry professionals.

The event is designed as a business-focused meeting point for the regional and international games industry, with programming spanning mobile, PC, console, XR, AI and other emerging technologies.

The programme typically combines conference sessions and panels with an expo, indie showcases, pitching opportunities, business matchmaking and specialised events connecting developers with publishers and investors.

Cairo ICT / Connecta 2026

November 7 to 10, 2026 | Cairo, Egypt

Cairo ICT is a broader technology event rather than a dedicated gaming convention, but its technology, talent and careers focus makes it relevant to parts of the gaming ecosystem.

Its Connecta programme is particularly relevant for students and young professionals, connecting attendees with employers, workshops, portfolio opportunities and potential career pathways across technology and digital industries.

For anyone looking specifically for game development or esports, this is more of a gaming-adjacent industry and recruitment event than a traditional gaming festival.

Global Games Show Abu Dhabi 2026

November 23 to 24, 2026 | Abu Dhabi, UAE

Global Games Show Abu Dhabi takes place at ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi and is one of the more business-focused gaming events on the regional calendar.

The B2B event brings together game development studios, publishers, esports organisations, investors, founders, technology companies and gaming professionals.

The conference programme covers topics including the gaming economy, game infrastructure, AI, cloud technology, gaming communities and marketing.

For developers, publishers, investors and companies looking for partnerships within the MENA gaming industry, this is one of the key UAE dates to watch.

FIA MENA Esports Championship Final

November 24, 2026 | Amman, Jordan

The FIA MENA Esports Championship concludes its 2026 competition on November 24.

The regional championship is played on Gran Turismo 7 and provides a structured pathway for sim racers from across the Middle East and North Africa.

The final will also feature the Esports Global Rally Tour MENA Shootout, with leading regional competitors given an opportunity to progress towards the FIA Esports Global Rally Tour Grand Final.

Kingdom of Gaming

December 1 to 3, 2026 | RECC Malham, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Kingdom of Gaming is a new large-scale gaming event scheduled to take place at RECC in Malham, Riyadh, from December 1 to 3, 2026.

The event is designed to bring the business and consumer sides of gaming together, with separate experiences for industry professionals, developers, publishers, investors, and technology providers alongside gamers, creators, streamers, and esports communities.

The organisers are targeting more than 20,000 attendees, 500+ studios and developers, 200+ investors and 300+ exhibitors and sponsors.

SHAMS Tekken 8 Tournament

December 26, 2026 | Sharjah, UAE

The SHAMS Tekken 8 Tournament brings competitive fighting-game esports to Sharjah Media City.

The tournament takes place at the SHAMS Business Centre and features a prize pool of AED 50,000.

The event is part of SHAMS' growing involvement in esports and community gaming in Sharjah.

SHAMS FC Tournament

December 27, 2026 | Sharjah, UAE

The SHAMS FC Tournament follows the Tekken competition with a 2v2 football esports tournament at Sharjah Media City.

The tournament also carries a prize pool of AED 50,000 and provides another community-level esports opportunity in the UAE.

Entertainment & Leisure MENA 2027

January 18 to 20, 2027 | Dubai, UAE

Entertainment & Leisure MENA 2027 takes place at Dubai World Trade Centre and includes a dedicated Gaming & Esports sector.

The event is broader than gaming alone, covering the entertainment, attractions and leisure industries, but its gaming component focuses on gaming venues, esports arenas, immersive experiences and digital entertainment.

It is particularly relevant to gaming venue operators, esports businesses, technology suppliers, entertainment developers and investors.

Global Game Jam 2027

January 25 to 31, 2027 | Worldwide, MENA locations TBA

Global Game Jam 2027 will take place worldwide from January 25 to 31.

Unlike a traditional esports event, Global Game Jam is focused on making games.

Developers, programmers, artists, designers, writers, students, musicians, and other creatives form teams and attempt to develop games around a shared theme within a limited period.

Local MENA host locations have not yet been confirmed, so individual events should not be considered confirmed until official sites are registered.

COMEX 2027 Gaming & Esports Zone

February 1 to 4, 2027 | Muscat, Oman

The COMEX 2027 Gaming & Esports Zone takes place at the Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre in Muscat.

The dedicated gaming area combines live esports competitions with gaming technology, interactive exhibits and game development.

Game development workshops will take attendees through aspects of creating games from concept through to launch, while developers will be able to showcase games, meet industry professionals and gather feedback.

For businesses, the event also provides opportunities around investment, partnerships and marketing within the gaming sector.

Global Games Show Riyadh 2027

April 2027 | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Global Games Show Riyadh is scheduled to return to Saudi Arabia in April 2027.

The B2B gaming event is designed for game development studios, indie developers, esports organisations, game publishers, technology companies, investors and senior gaming industry professionals.

The exact April dates are still to be announced, but the month and Riyadh edition have been confirmed by the organiser.