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The International Esports Federation (IESF) has officially launched the bidding process for host cities for the 2025 and 2026 World Esports Championships and Regional Qualifiers. This announcement comes as anticipation builds for the 2024 championship, which will be held later this year in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The 2023 event took place in Iasi, Romania.
In a recent release, the IESF stated that it is open to inquiries from "any cities" interested in hosting this prestigious cross-title event. The federation encourages potential hosts to explore the numerous opportunities and benefits associated with bringing these premier esports competitions to their locations.
Since its inception in 2009, the World Esports Championship has featured a variety of tournaments across multiple esports titles. National esports federations from IESF member countries send teams to compete, showcasing talent from around the globe. The upcoming 2024 championship will include popular titles such as Counter-Strike 2, Dota 2, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, and PUBG Mobile.
Boban Totovski, General Secretary of IESF, expressed excitement about the search for the next host cities. He stated, “After Bali, Iasi, and Riyadh this year, we are all looking forward to our next host for the 17th World Esports Championship. We already have many cities waiting for the process to start bidding, and we are very excited to start the negotiations to see where the IESF flag will go on the 19th of November in Riyadh, at the closing ceremony.”
In related news, the Russian Esports Federation (RESF) has announced that it will not allow its players to compete under a neutral flag, stating that it "would not abandon" its national flag and anthem. This decision follows the IESF's previous barring of Russian competitors from events due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The RESF's request to compete under a neutral flag arose after opening offices in territories internationally recognized as Ukrainian.
As the IESF moves forward with its plans for future championships, the bidding process offers cities around the world a chance to be part of the rapidly growing esports landscape.