Esports World Cup Moves 2,500-Player Event to Paris From Riyadh as Iran War Threatens Travel
Updated
Updated · Kotaku · May 15
Esports World Cup Moves 2,500-Player Event to Paris From Riyadh as Iran War Threatens Travel
7 articles · Updated · Kotaku · May 15
Paris will host the Esports World Cup instead of Riyadh, with organizers shifting the Saudi-funded tournament as fighting tied to the U.S.-Iran war raises travel-risk concerns.
About 2,500 esports players attended last year’s event, and organizers are reportedly worried the conflict could disrupt flights and attendance over the coming months.
The move pulls a high-profile event out of Saudi Arabia, where the tournament had been staged and where its funding has already made it controversial.
The relocation underscores how the widening Middle East conflict is spilling beyond security and energy markets into global sports and entertainment scheduling.
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