The esports division of Saudi club Al Nassr has partnered with Italian esports organisation Mkers.
As part of the deal, Al Nassr has signed Portuguese EA FC player João Afonso ‘Jafonso’ Vasconcelos in preparation for entering competitions in the game. Jafonso was crowned world champion in 2024 and made his first appearance for Al Nassr on 25 November at the FC PRO qualifier in London.
Guido Fienga, CEO of Al Nassr, commented: “It is an important step to continue the development of Al Nassr in a new field of play that is very popular with our fans. Excellence and innovation are at the heart of our strategy and with Mkers and Jafonso we aspire to be a winning team in major international competitions right away.”
Mkers will manage the team’s technical and competitive management, as well as bring a wealth of knowledge from its commercial and strategic experience, such as a marketing tool to maximise the impact of the esports division.
Luca Beccaceci, CEO of Mkers, said: “Being chosen by a club like Al Nassr to build an Esports division together is both an honour and a responsibility. This partnership goes beyond mere collaboration; it embodies a shared vision to redefine the competitive gaming industry. We will work together to consolidate this project and establish it as a global benchmark.”
Beyond making links between Al Nassr forward Cristiano Ronaldo and Jafonso, this move builds on the recent work of Saudi Arabia in becoming a central hub for esports.
This year the esports sector in Saudi Arabia has seen investments over $500m. The most notable initiative was the inaugural Esports World Cup. This event caught the attention of the world through its £47m total prize pool across all competitions – the largest the industry has ever seen.
Looking forward, this competition looks to expand. Three titles have already been announced for next year’s event, with players able to compete in a total of 22 games earlier this year.
Saudi Arabia’s success in capturing the industry was recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in July, as talks for the Kingdom to host the first-ever Olympic Esports Games were announced.
Though Saudi Arabia has enhanced various aspects of esports, like broadcasting, exposure and prize pools. As with other sports, however, some concerns have been raised around the idea of sportswashing due to the country’s human rights record.
Saudi Arabia’s influence on sports, including football and boxing, has been the focus of many arguments between supporters, with many believing that though investments improve the sports commercially they take away from the traditions.
Boxing has potentially been impacted the most by Saudi investments. The General Entertainment Authority (GEA) Chairman Turki Alalshikh has become the face of the sport in recent years through his ability to bring together rival promoters and put on some of the most competitive fights in recent history.
Earlier this month, Alalshikh’s hold on the sport became significantly tighter, purchasing the historic Ring Magazine, a magazine which also comes with its own belt and rankings.
