British Esports Federation President Heads to Riyadh for GREAT FUTURES

Key insights

6 takeaways

01
British Esports Federation President Chester King is attending the GREAT FUTURES event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, scheduled for May 14–15, 2024.
02
The event aims to foster cooperation between UK businesses and the Saudi Arabian government to support the country's Vision 2030 initiative.
03
This participation follows a formal collaboration agreement established between the British Esports Federation and the Saudi Esports Federation in October 2023.
04
Chester King previously stated that the British Esports Federation receives no financial compensation from the Saudi government or its federation for their ongoing cooperation.
05
The event is hosted at the King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD) Conference Centre and is part of a broader effort by the UK Department for Business and Trade to drive bilateral business relationships.
06
Official travel guidance for the event notes that while same-sex relations are illegal in Saudi Arabia, legal action is considered uncommon, and female travelers are not required to wear traditional abayas.

Summary

British Esports Federation President Chester King is scheduled to participate in the GREAT FUTURES event, held May 14–15, 2024, at the King Abdullah Financial District in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The conference, organized through a partnership between the Saudi Arabian government and the United Kingdom’s Department for International Trade, aims to foster bilateral business relationships and support the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 initiative.

King’s presentation focuses on the collaborative efforts between the British Esports Federation and the Saudi Esports Federation. These efforts are designed to bolster Saudi Arabia’s national gaming and esports strategy, which targets the creation of over 35,000 jobs and a contribution of $13.3 billion to the country’s GDP by 2030. This engagement follows a formal collaboration agreement established between the two federations in October 2023, which operates without direct financial compensation to the British organization.

The event occurs amidst broader international scrutiny regarding Saudi Arabia’s human rights record, particularly concerning women’s rights and the treatment of LGBTQ+ individuals. While the UK government’s official travel guidance for the event notes that it is safe to travel to Riyadh, it acknowledges that same-sex relations remain illegal in the country. Critics, including human rights organizations, have raised concerns regarding the country's legal environment and recent judicial actions against activists, highlighting the complex political landscape surrounding international business partnerships in the region.