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FIFA and the Saudi Esports Federation postponed the FIFAe Finals 2026 that had been set to run in Jeddah from October 16 to 25, organisers said in a statement issued on October 15. The decision came after an assessment of recent regional developments and their potential impact on the logistical arrangements needed to stage the global video game tournament, according to the joint organisers. “Further announcements on the FIFAe Finals will be communicated in due course,” the statement added. Japan and Brazil had already withdrawn their esports teams on October 10 after reviewing the situation in the host country, a Reuters report stated.
A strike on Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport on October 10 killed at least 12 people and wounded more than 300, the Saudi civil aviation authority reported. The Iran-aligned Houthi movement claimed responsibility for what multiple outlets described as the deadliest attack in Saudi Arabia in more than a decade. Victims included individuals from Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh, the United States, Jordan, Palestine, Syria, Sudan and Egypt, according to the authority’s breakdown of the casualties. Operations at the airport serving a city of roughly 8 million people were suspended following the assault.
The security uncertainty has affected a series of sporting events across the kingdom, a Reuters dispatch noted on October 15. The Six Kings Slam exhibition tennis tournament was shifted from October to December while golf’s Asian Tour indicated it is monitoring developments ahead of the Saudi International scheduled for next month in Riyadh. The Asian Football Confederation has signalled it remains open to delaying the Asian Cup, set to begin in January 2027 across Riyadh, Jeddah and Al Khobar, until 2028 if required, the confederation told reporters.
Saudi Arabia has hosted previous editions of the FIFAe Finals in Riyadh, where the 2024 event distributed a total prize pool of $450,000 across competitions featuring Rocket League and eFootball, FIFA records show. That edition drew peak concurrent viewership of more than 422,000 for the eFootball console bracket according to Esports Charts data, highlighting the growing audience for the national-team-based tournaments. The 2025 finals followed a similar format with 16 nations competing in Rocket League and top teams from regional qualifiers advancing in the eFootball events.
The postponement adds to a growing list of disruptions for major gatherings in Saudi Arabia amid the renewed Houthi campaign, an Al-Monitor analysis published on October 15 found. Earlier this year the 2026 Esports World Cup was relocated from Riyadh to Paris while the inaugural Esports Nations Cup was deferred from November 2026 to November 2027, industry reports stated. Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 initiative has positioned esports as a central pillar for economic diversification, with the kingdom investing heavily in infrastructure and partnerships to establish itself as a regional hub, according to Esports Insider.
FIFA expressed appreciation to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Saudi Esports Federation for their support during preparations, the October 15 statement noted. The organisers described the collaboration as building on the successful staging of prior editions in the country. No new dates for the FIFAe Finals have been confirmed as authorities continue to evaluate the broader security environment.
