Sources: IESF Board Held Vote to Cancel WEC 2024

The International Esports Federation (IESF) board recently held an impromptu meeting to vote on the cancellation of the 2024 World Esports Championship (WEC 2024), which is scheduled to take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in November. The proposal was introduced by IESF President HRH Prince Faisal, who also holds leadership roles within the Saudi Esports Federation and the Global Esports Federation. Despite the motion, the board ultimately voted against canceling the event.

The meeting was characterized by a lack of prior agenda or formal itinerary, leading to confusion among board members regarding the rationale for the sudden proposal. During the proceedings, Prince Faisal suggested that a cancellation by the IESF could potentially influence the Global Esports Federation to cancel its own year-end event in China. Board members expressed significant concern over the proposal, particularly given that member federations had already participated in regional qualifiers to secure spots for the $1 million prize pool tournament.

The incident highlights internal volatility within the organization, as the IESF continues to manage its global tournament schedule and ongoing bidding processes for future championships. This development follows other recent operational shifts, including the transition of the Asian Esports Championship from an in-person event in Chengdu to an online format. Neither the IESF leadership nor the Global Esports Federation provided comments regarding the meeting or the motivations behind the proposed cancellation.