Gamers8 to feature IESF Asian Championship

The International Esports Federation (IESF) has announced a partnership with Gamers8 and the Saudi Esports Federation (SEF), with the aim of delivering a 'groundbreaking experience for Asian athletes'.

This partnership will include the first ever Gamers8 IESF Asian Championship, with an online component taking place before the event followed by an offline round at the Riyadh festival itself.

The preliminary online round takes place from May 1 to 16, followed by the live round in Riyadh from July 10 to 17. The winners will then advance to the WE Championship Finals in Iași, Romania, this August.

The online Asia & Oceania qualifiers are the first of this year’s WE Championships and will kick off several months of international esports competition, with qualifiers for the Americas, Europe, and Africa to follow.

Each region will compete across six games: PUBG Mobile, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, CS:GO, Dota 2, Tekken 7, and eFootball.

IESF Secretary General Boban Totovski said: “Thank you to the city of Riyadh for welcoming us and hosting the Gamers8 IESF Asian Championship. We are confident that the World Esports Family will have an unforgettable experience in one of the world’s top esports destinations. We are grateful for the opportunity to partner with Gamers8 and the Saudi Esports Federation and are looking forward to seeing the region’s best gamers go head-to-head in Riyadh.”

Saudi Esports Federation Deputy CEO Ahmed Albishri said: “The first Gamers8 IESF Asian Championship is a great reward for all Asian players. We are excited to host this tournament for the first time during the summer of 2023 at Gamers8 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia to show off the best skills and provide an unforgettable esports experience.“

IESF is committed to continuing its goal of promoting inclusion and diversity in the World Esports Family, with a record of 120 countries expected to participate this year and an expanded Women’s CS:GO Tournament. The WE Championships Finals will begin on August 24 and conclude on September 4, where the World Esports Champion will be crowned.