Singapore to host first Olympic Esports Week

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has announced that the first Olympic Esports Week will be held in Singapore from June 22 to June 25, 2023.

The announcement is a significant step forward in promoting the growth of virtual sports inside the Olympic Movement and connecting with competitive gamers.

The Olympic Esports Week will be held in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, Community, and Youth, Sport Singapore, and the Singapore National Olympic Committee (SNOC).

The four-day festival will feature exhibiting the latest technologies, panel discussions, educational workshops, and show matches to highlight the best of virtual sports—hybrid physical and simulated sports.

The inaugural in-person live finals of the Olympic Esports Series, a global virtual and simulated sports competition created in conjunction with the International Federations (IFs) that builds on the success of last year’s Olympic Virtual Series will be the focus of the week.

The 2021 series drew over 250,000 people from over 100 nations to compete in virtual and simulated sports such as baseball, motorsport, cycling, rowing, and sailing.

Speaking about the announcement, IOC President Thomas Bach said: “The first Olympic Esports Week marks an important milestone in our ambition to support the growth of virtual sports within the Olympic Movement.”

“We believe the exciting new format of our virtual sports competition, with live finals to be staged for the first time, is an opportunity to collaborate further with esports players and to create new opportunities for players and fans alike.”

“It is a perfect opportunity to be partnering with Singapore, which has a history of supporting innovation in the Olympic Movement, hosting the inaugural Youth Olympic Games in 2010, so we are looking forward to working together closely.” He concluded.

SNOC Board member and IOC Vice-President Ng Ser Miang said: “The Singapore NOC shares the Olympic Movement’s ambitions of exploring the development of virtual sports.”

“Singapore has a track record of successfully hosting some of the biggest events in the virtual sports and esports calendar – we are honoured to be collaborating with the IOC to bring this shared vision to life.”

In early 2023, details, including how to participate in the first Olympic Esports Week and Olympic Esports Series, will be announced.