SACC Sharjah to host esports tournaments with cash prizes
The Sharjah Animation and Comics Conference (SACC 2026) will host three esports tournaments offering cash prizes alongside a series of daily gaming challenges when the event opens at Aljada on October 22.
The four-day conference, organised by Sharjah Book Authority, will feature competitions in EA Sports FC 27, Tekken 8 and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, alongside arcade gaming, multiplayer experiences and daily leaderboard challenges.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate will take place on Friday, October 23, followed by EA Sports FC 27 on Saturday, October 24, and Tekken 8 on Sunday, October 25.
Each tournament will accommodate up to 64 players, with additional registrations placed on a waiting list. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and Tekken 8 will use a one-on-one double-elimination format, while EA Sports FC 27 will follow a single-elimination format.
The three main tournaments will offer cash prizes for the top three competitors, with AED 7,500 allocated to each competition. Winners will receive AED 3,750, while second and third place will receive AED 2,250 and AED 1,500 respectively.
Selected later-round matches and finals will take place on stage, with other matches running simultaneously across the gaming zone.
Visitors will also be able to compete in daily challenges featuring Just Dance, an F1 time trial and Pac-Man.
The Just Dance competition will offer AED 2,500 in daily prizes, while the F1 Time Trial Challenge and Pac-Man Daily High Score Challenge will each offer AED 1,000 per day.
Beyond competitive gaming, SACC 2026 will feature an arcade zone with classic and modern titles, sports games, fighting games and multiplayer experiences.
Game Masters will also lead guided board game sessions, introducing visitors to different games and explaining their rules.
The gaming programme forms part of the fourth edition of SACC, which runs until October 25 and will bring together more than 75 speakers from over 30 countries for more than 150 activities.
The wider event will include over 55 workshops and masterclasses, more than 40 talks and panel discussions, film screenings and live entertainment covering animation, comics and visual storytelling.
A dedicated Trading Card Game Zone will allow visitors to browse, purchase and trade cards, while Artist Alley and other interactive areas will provide opportunities to meet creators and explore original work.
The conference will also feature industry discussions on intellectual property, financing, distribution, international collaboration and studio development, alongside networking opportunities for creators and creative businesses.
Players can register for the esports competitions through the official SACC tournament page, with on-site registration also available subject to capacity.
Visitors can watch the tournaments with a valid event pass, but participation requires separate tournament registration. Tickets and further visitor information are available through the official SACC website.
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