The Olympic Esports Series is a virtual and simulated sports competition created by the IOC, in collaboration with International Federations (IFs) and game publishers. The upcoming event will include a wide range of virtual sports, including motor sport.
The event will begin with an online time trial starting in mid-April. Eligibility criteria for the event will be announced later. The fastest players from the time trial will be invited to compete at the finals. The finals will be held live at the first-ever Olympic Esports Week in Singapore from June 22-25, 2023.
For the first time, the Olympic Esports Series 2023 will culminate in live, in-person finals. The finals will be held at Singapore’s Suntec Centre and will be the highlight of the recently announced Olympic Esports Week 2023. Players from around the world will gather in Singapore to compete for the prestigious title of Olympic Esports Series winner in front of fans. The thrilling finals action will be streamed globally across Olympics.com and Olympic social channels.
“I am delighted that the FIA is joining forces for the second time in a row with the IOC and Gran Turismo for this innovative Esports event. We’ve committed to double the participation in motorsport, and the Olympic Esports Series aligns perfectly with our strategy to extend the appeal of our wonderful sport to fresh audiences. Esports promotes mass participation by removing most of the traditional barriers to entry and is also a great display of equality, diversity and inclusivity.”
Robert Reid, FIA Deputy President for Sport
FIA and Gran Turismo were also part of the inaugural Olympic Virtual Series in 2021, where Valerio Gallo of Italy won the title in an online event. This collaboration between FIA, IOC, and Polyphony Digital is an exciting development for the industry, and it is expected to attract a huge audience of gaming and motor sport fans alike.
