“The Next Game” – Riyadh Gears Up to Host Pioneering Global Event Uniting Sports, Esports, and Entertainment
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – The global spotlight shifts to the heart of the Middle East this August, as the Esports World Cup Foundation unveils NGSC2025 — the highly anticipated second edition of the New Global Sport Conference. Scheduled for August 23–24 at the Four Seasons Hotel in Riyadh, the conference takes place during the Closing Weekend of the Esports World Cup 2025, setting the stage for groundbreaking dialogue where sports, esports, gaming, and entertainment converge.
This year’s conference theme — “The Next Game – Building the Future of Gaming, Esports, and Sports” — signals an era where the boundaries between digital and physical competition are breaking down, guided by innovation and next-generation audience engagement.
Described as “the premier global stage for leaders to explore new horizons and create groundbreaking collaborations,” the NGSC2025 is expected to draw over 1,500 high-profile executives, visionaries, and industry insiders. Alongside leaders from world-class entertainment and gaming giants, the event seeks to define the future of how the world competes, connects, and entertains.
In the words of Ralf Reichert, CEO of the Esports World Cup Foundation: “The 2025 edition of the New Global Sport Conference arrives at a moment of unprecedented change and opportunity for competitive gaming. As the boundaries between sports, esports, entertainment, and technology dissolve, this event becomes the premier global stage for leaders to explore new horizons and create groundbreaking collaborations. At NGSC2025, we’ll challenge conventional ideas, pioneer innovative business models, and unlock powerful possibilities in storytelling and competition. Together, we define the next chapter of how the world plays, competes, and connects.”
The conference boasts a speaker roster that includes senior leadership from powerhouse names such as Sony, Disney, Activision, SEGA, Bandai Namco, and LA28, alongside globally respected decision-makers from sports, investment, tech, and esports.
Key speakers include:
- HRH Prince Faisal Bin Bandar Bin Sultan, President, Saudi Esports Federation
- HRH Prince Fahad bin Mansour bin Nasser Al Saud, President, Saudi G20 YEA & Founder, Entrepreneurship Vision
- Casey Wasserman, Chairman of LA28
- Peter Moore, Owner, Santa Barbara Sky FC & Former CEO, Liverpool FC
- Toshimoto Mitomo, Chief Strategy Officer, Sony
- Joshua Taub, Chief Operating Officer, Activision
- Shuji Utsumi, President, SEGA
- Katsuhiro Harada, Executive Game Director & Chief Producer, Bandai Namco Entertainment
- Je Alipio, Head of Games Business Development APAC & MENA, Disney
- Brian Ward, CEO, Savvy Games Group
- Taewon Yun, SVP & Head of Game Strategy, NCSOFT
- Danny Tang, Co-founder & CEO, Hero Esports
- Magnus Carlsen, World Chess Champion
- Jan Alessie, Managing Director, World Football Summit
- Jens Hilgers, Founder, BITKRAFT Ventures
- Bruce Stein, Co-founder, aXiomatic
- Marat Karpeko, Partner, NVO Capital
- Kartik Prabhakara, Founding Partner, Aream & Co
- Senior leadership from the Esports World Cup Foundation, including Mike McCabe (COO), Faisal Bin Homran (CPO), Fabian Scheuermann (CGO), and Mohammad Al Nimer (CCO).
The two-day program will feature a mix of keynotes, panels, roundtables, and exclusive forums, all aimed toward unlocking strategic growth and nurturing global partnerships across the interconnected sectors. It provides a rare opportunity for investors, club executives, game publishers, and media stakeholders to align visions on a global stage.
Held during the final weekend of the Esports World Cup, NGSC2025 not only celebrates competitive gaming but also positions Riyadh as a central hub for digital transformation across entertainment. The Esports World Cup itself, touted as the world’s largest, unites communities across multiple titles and boasts the most substantial prize pool in the industry’s history.
As anticipation builds, additional speakers and full programming details will be revealed in the coming weeks — solidifying NGSC2025’s status as a defining summit in the evolution of global sports and digital entertainment.
Team V.DIR-EM-UAE
