RIYADH: ESL FACEIT Group was formed in 2022 by Savvy Games Group. Today, it is the largest esports and gaming organization in the world and hosts some of Saudi Arabia’s biggest esports tournaments and events.
In 2024, EFG became the operating partner of the Esports World Cup, which is run by the Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF), the Saudi Arabian nonprofit organization dedicated to the development of the gaming industry in the Kingdom.
Franck Guignery, the company’s senior vice president and managing director Middle East and Africa, spoke to Arab News about the company’s development, the ESL Saudi Challenge and being the Esports World Cup’s operating partner for 2026.
How do you reflect on EFG’s achievements in 2025?
2025 was truly a landmark year. It didn’t just meet our goals; it set the pace for everything we’re planning in 2026 and beyond. We solidified our position as the global leader in esports production, seeing a 28 percent jump in viewership compared to 2023 and reaching over 287 million people on social media. A standout moment was IEM Katowice 2025, which became the most-watched non-major Counter-Strike tournament in history, peaking at 1.3 million concurrent viewers.
In Saudi Arabia specifically, we’ve taken massive strides to help realize the Kingdom’s vision as a global gaming hub. Supporting the Esports World Cup was a highlight for many of us. Delivering the biggest esports event in history, with 750 million viewers and 350 million hours watched, proved that there is an insatiable global appetite for what’s happening here. On top of that, launching our regional headquarters and flagship venue in Riyadh has given us the “elite” home base we need to empower local talent and host world-class events year-round.
How has the ESL Saudi Challenge grown in its second year?
The growth has been remarkable. It’s quickly evolved from a new initiative into a vital fixture of the local calendar. This season, seeing the competition culminate in a high-stakes LAN final at our new Riyadh venue was a proud moment.
Twisted Minds proved once again why they are champions, but what really excites me is the depth of the field. Over 50 percent of the participating players were Saudi. That’s exactly what this challenge is for — creating a professional pathway that bridges national competition with the global stage. We’re proving that Saudi Arabia isn’t just a destination for international esports events; it’s a fertile ground where home-grown, sustainable world-class competition lives.
EFG will once again be the operating partner for the EWC in 2026. How is EFG supporting the competition’s long-term vision?
As the Official Operating Partner, our job is to turn a massive vision into a functional, sustainable reality. We provide the “engine room,” the infrastructure, the tournament logistics, and the broadcast production that brings the EWC to life, both locally and internationally.
After the success of 2025, our focus for the third edition is on refinement. We want to deliver an unmatched cross-game experience that doesn’t exist anywhere else in the world. We aren’t just looking at the numbers; we’re looking at the experience, both for the pro player on stage in Riyadh and the fan watching in another hemisphere. We want the EWC to be the undisputed premier event on the global gaming calendar.
Saudi Arabia will host the inaugural Esports Nations Cup in 2026. How significant is this event and what is EFG’s role in delivering a successful launch?
The Esports Nations Cup is a seismic shift for esports. For the first time, we’re seeing esports move into a truly global representative format. It’s built to support the industry from the ground up. Out of the $45m prize pool, $20m is a dedicated development fund to help national partners with things like training camps and youth programs. It will be an opportunity to capture the imagination of the world by bringing to life the personal journeys of these players representing their countries and to show that Riyadh is now the global capital of this industry.
How important is the opening of EFG’s regional headquarters in Saudi Arabia and how does it strengthen EFG’s presence in the region?
This office is a statement of our long-term commitment. It isn’t just a workspace; it’s a plug-and-play ecosystem. For our brands and partners, it offers end-to-end production capabilities that simply didn’t exist in this region before. We can now bridge local Saudi talent directly with our global fanbase of 225 million people.
As the flagship venue for esports in the region, it provides the stage for the biggest events and establishes a world-class infrastructure that supports the aims of Vision 2030 and the National Gaming and Esports Strategy.
It also changes how we work internally. One of our priorities is building a permanent, sustainable presence. That means scaling up our recruitment to find and develop local Saudi talent across all functions. We aren’t just hiring for a single event; we’re building a hub that will power our global operations for years to come.
What is EFG’s position within Savvy Games Group and how is the partnership contributing to Saudi Arabia’s broader gaming and esports ambitions?
EFG is a cornerstone of the Savvy Games Group, which serves as the national champion for gaming and esports in Saudi Arabia. While Savvy acts as the national champion and strategic investor, EFG acts as the operating arm that brings that vision to life through competition and community.
Because we are backed by the PIF (Public Investment Fund0 and part of Savvy, we can think long term. We are contributing to the goal of creating 39,000 local jobs and adding $13.3 bn (SAR50 billion) to the gross domestic product by 2030. Together, we’re creating a blueprint for the rest of the world on how to build a professional, sustainable, and inclusive gaming industry from the ground up.
