- ARAB NEWS
- 01 May 2025
Since 1975
Riyadh: The Saudi Esports Federation, the national body of esports in the Kingdom, and PUBG MOBILE, one of the world’s most popular mobile games, announced the signing of a landmark memorandum of understanding, marking a pivotal moment in the development of the Kingdom’s esports ecosystem.
The strategic alliance aligns PUBG MOBILE’s local community with the SEF’s national esports development objectives, and is expected to create unprecedented opportunities for Saudi players.
It integrates the PUBG MOBILE National Championship into the SEF’s Saudi eLeague, making it the main PUBG MOBILE competition within the national circuit. This alignment strengthens the SEF’s grassroots-to-pro structure and embeds PMNC as a core component of Saudi Arabia’s official esports calendar.
The MoU has already yielded record-breaking results, further streamlining the pathway from amateur to professional for aspiring Saudi players.
In addition to PMNC’s role, the partnership encompasses broader development through the SEF Academy and university leagues — ensuring a structured and sustainable talent pipeline for PUBG MOBILE players in Saudi Arabia.
And as a direct consequence of the collaboration, the champion of PMNC KSA, held within SEL, will now earn a coveted spot to compete at the prestigious PUBG MOBILE World Cup, held as part of the Esports World Cup later this year.
The PMWC boasts a staggering $3 million prize pool, solidifying its position as one of the most sought-after global PUBG MOBILE tournaments, with the opportunity representing a monumental step for Saudi players by offering them a chance to showcase their skills on the world stage and to compete for a life-changing prize.
“Through strategic collaborations with leading titles such as PUBG MOBILE, we are expanding opportunities for our players, building sustainable pathways to international competition, and accelerating the development of a dynamic and thriving esports ecosystem,” said Prince Faisal Bin Bandar, president of the federation.
“We are proud to see Saudi talent rise to the global stage and look forward to inspiring future generations to pursue esports excellence,” he added.
Vincent Wang, head of PUBG MOBILE Publishing, Tencent Games, said that PUBG MOBILE “is deeply committed to fostering the growth of esports in Saudi Arabia, and this MoU with the Saudi Esports Federation is a testament to that commitment.
“We are thrilled to provide the Kingdom’s players a clear pathway to the global stage, starting with the PMNC KSA champion’s journey to the PUBG MOBILE World Cup. We believe this partnership will unlock the immense potential of Saudi esports and inspire a new generation of champions,” he added.
The impact of the partnership is already clear, with PMNC KSA witnessing record-breaking player registrations, surpassing all previous PUBG MOBILE tournaments in the Kingdom.
“By embedding PUBG MOBILE into our structured leagues and talent development programs, we are enabling players to compete at a professional standard from an early stage,” said Meshal Al-Qabbani, executive director of esports at the Saudi Esports Federation. “We look forward to witnessing a new wave of Saudi talent rise through the ranks and achieve international success through this historic collaboration.”
The surge in players highlights the growing enthusiasm for PUBG MOBILE esports in Saudi Arabia, as well as the strength of the collaboration between PUBG MOBILE and the SEF.
The MoU announcement coincides with the culmination of PMNC KSA, where the champion will be crowned, awarded $26,000 and have their ticket to the PMWC metaphorically punched.
