Esports Olympics Scheduled for 2025 or 2026, Confirms IOC President Bach
International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach has revealed plans to potentially hold the first Olympic Esports Games as early as 2025, or at the latest in 2026. This announcement was made during an exclusive interview with Xinhua News Agency at the Winter Youth Olympics in Gangwon Province.
Bach admitted that the format and timing of the inaugural Esports Olympics are yet to be finalized. "We haven't confirmed the format and timing 100%, but significant progress is being made in our research. Therefore, we are considering hosting the first Olympic Esports Games either in 2025 or 2026 at the latest," he stated.
The upcoming Esports Olympics might follow the format of last year's Olympic Esports Week. "This means that on one hand, there will be virtual sports combining esports with physical activities, and on the other hand, some of the most popular video games will be introduced, provided they align with the Olympic values," Bach explained.
"These elements will allow us to integrate very interesting and valuable projects together," added Bach.
At the 141st IOC Session in October last year, Bach spoke about the new IOC Esports Commission's task to explore the creation of an Olympic Esports event.
The IOC previously held the Olympic Virtual Series in 2021, its first pilot project in esports. Following the success of this series, the first Olympic Esports Week was held in 2023, garnering immense popularity with over half a million participants, including qualifiers, and over six million views across all channels for the series.
Source: CNTV