1,200 delegates to attend global event from Sept. 7-8 The Next World Forum kicks off on Wednesday at Four Seasons Hotel in the capital city’s Kingdom Center to close out the Gamers8 festival, which has been taking place at Boulevard Riyadh City over the past 10 weeks. The esports and gaming forum is being hosted by the Saudi Esports Federation on Sept. 7 and 8, and brings together key sector leaders and experts from the Kingdom and across the world. Over 1,200 delegates are meeting to highlight the future opportunities and challenges facing this growing sport. Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan, chairman of the federation, said: “The Next World Forum bridges the gap between virtual-world creativity and real-world development. There are numerous high-level opportunities, that can genuinely shape the future of esports and gaming, which will emanate from the Next World Forum, a new era in the phenomenal growth of the industry.” The Next World Forum will provide a platform to showcase new ideas, investment and talent development, as well as highlight Saudi Arabia’s role in the gaming and esports industry. Gaming is the fastest growing sport globally, with the industry estimated to be worth $321 billion by 2026. Saudi Arabia is an avid gaming nation with around 70 percent of its population participating, and where consumption is projected to reach $6.8 billion by 2030. The forum will host ministers of sport from various leading nations, investors, developers, tech providers, start-ups, public sector representatives, brands and advertisers, publishers, broadcasters, and federations and leagues. Speakers include Prince Faisal, the CEO of British Esports, the CEO of Neom, the president of the International Esports Federation, the chief of partnerships at UNICEF, and the managing director of Qiddiya Investment Company. The Next World Forum will begin with a panel session entitled “Saudi Spotlight: What Now, What Next?” featuring prominent government and private sector figures supporting the Kingdom’s growth strategy for gaming and esports.