The International Olympic Committee has put the brakes on its Esports Commission. The decision casts fresh doubt on the future of the Olympic Esports Games, the project once seen as the IOC’s bridge to younger audiences.
The news was first reported by Japanese news agency Kyodo News. According to the report, the commission’s work has been placed on hold under new IOC President Kirsty Coventry, who took office in June 2025.
What the IOC Has Done
The IOC has suspended the activities of its Esports Commission. The commission was the working group set up to plan and shape the Olympic Esports Games. With the group sidelined, the project has no clear path forward.
An anonymous source told Kyodo that the commission’s activities have “come to a close.” There has been no formal public announcement from the IOC.
Coventry’s Message to Commission Members
In late January, Coventry sent a message to commission members. She wrote that she would “take responsibility for moving this forward from here on out.”
She added: “In the next phase, we will need a more integrated approach that is firmly aligned with the overall strategy of the Olympic Movement.”
The wording suggests the IOC wants to fold any future esports work into its wider strategy rather than run it as a stand-alone unit. The Esports Commission, in its current form, appears to be over.
How the Olympic Esports Games Stalled
The Olympic Esports Games was unveiled at the Paris 2024 Olympics by then-IOC President Thomas Bach. It was framed as a way to bring competitive gaming into the Olympic Movement and reach a younger fan base. The IOC had earlier tested the waters through projects such as the Olympic Virtual Series in 2021 and the Olympic Esports Series held in Singapore in 2023.
The plan was built on a 12-year partnership with Saudi Arabia. The first edition was first set for 2025. It was then pushed to 2027 in Riyadh. On October 30, 2025, the IOC and the Saudi side agreed to end the deal.
After the cancellation, Coventry placed the project in a “Pause and Reflect” phase. The latest move suggests that pause has now turned into a full stop, at least for the original format.
Saudi Arabia Moves on With Esports Nations Cup
Saudi Arabia has not slowed down. The country is pushing ahead with the Esports Nations Cup, organised by the Esports World Cup Foundation. The event is set for November 2026 in Riyadh, with publishers such as Electronic Arts, Krafton, Tencent, and Ubisoft on board.
Saudi Arabia already runs the Esports World Cup, which has the largest prize pool in esports history. With the IOC stepping back, the Saudi project is operating on its own track without the historical and political constraints the Olympic body faces.
Why the IOC Is Pulling Back
The Kyodo report points to wider financial pressure inside the IOC. The 2032 Brisbane Olympics are reportedly set to undergo a significant reduction in the number of sports. According to the report, “even the sports retained could have some of their disciplines or events cut.”
Coventry has also reportedly scrapped plans to test certain Summer Olympic sports during the 2030 French Alps Winter Games. Sources cited by Kyodo indicate the IOC will stick to the Olympic Charter, which states that “only sports practiced on snow or ice are considered winter sports.”
The picture is one of an IOC trying to streamline costs and protect its core programme. In that climate, esports does not appear to be a priority.
The Wider Esports Picture
The IOC’s retreat does not stop esports from growing elsewhere. The Asian Games, run by the Olympic Council of Asia, will be held in Japan in the coming months. The programme features titles such as League of Legends, Honor of Kings, and PUBG Mobile.
The Olympic body has also long struggled with two issues: how to handle so-called “violent” games such as Counter-Strike and other shooters, and how to work with publishers who own the intellectual property of major titles. These include Riot Games, Epic Games, Valve, and Capcom. With no shared governance model in place, the IOC has not yet found a structure that fits both sides.
What It Means for the Olympic Dream
For now, the goal of seeing Olympic medals handed out for video games is on hold. The dedicated commission is suspended. The Saudi deal is over. The “Pause and Reflect” phase has not produced a new partner.
For India and other emerging esports markets that had eyed the project, the timeline is now unclear. The country has a large competitive base, as covered in TalkEsport’s earlier feature on India’s Olympic esports prospects. With the IOC’s plans frozen, those ambitions sit in a holding pattern.
The IOC has not said whether the Olympic Esports Games will return in another form. As things stand, the project is paused, the commission is shut, and the road back is unclear.
FAQ
Has the IOC officially cancelled the Olympic Esports Games? The IOC has not made a public statement confirming a cancellation. According to Kyodo News, the activities of the Esports Commission have been put on hold, and an anonymous source said its work has “come to a close.” The original 12-year deal with Saudi Arabia ended on October 30, 2025.
Why did Kirsty Coventry suspend the Esports Commission? In a January message to members, Coventry said the next phase needs “a more integrated approach that is firmly aligned with the overall strategy of the Olympic Movement.” Reports also link the move to wider financial pressure, including planned cuts to the 2032 Brisbane Olympics programme.
What was the original plan for the Olympic Esports Games? The Olympic Esports Games was announced at Paris 2024 by then-IOC President Thomas Bach. It was based on a 12-year partnership with Saudi Arabia, with the first edition first set for 2025 and then pushed to 2027 in Riyadh.
Will esports still appear in any Olympic-linked event? The Asian Games, organised by the Olympic Council of Asia, will be held in Japan in the coming months and will feature titles such as League of Legends, Honor of Kings, and PUBG Mobile. Saudi Arabia is also running its own Esports Nations Cup in November 2026.
