'Next World Forum' Discusses Gaming and Esports Sector in Riyadh

The Saudi Esports Federation logo
The Saudi Esports Federation logo
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'Next World Forum' Discusses Gaming and Esports Sector in Riyadh

The Saudi Esports Federation logo
The Saudi Esports Federation logo

The Saudi Esports Federation will launch the "Next World Forum" on August 30 and 31 in Riyadh, at the conclusion of the activities of the largest event for games and electronic sports in the world, "Gamers8: The Land of Heroes."

The forum will discuss promising opportunities in the fast-growing gaming and esports industry worth more than $170 billion globally, exceeding the worth of both the film and music industries.

Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan, Chairman of the Saudi Esports Federation's Board of Directors, said that the current edition of the forum tackles challenging questions about the gaming and esports industry, as it convenes leaders of the sector and related sectors.

The first day of the forum will see a panel discussion entitled: “Acquisition: Legal Aspects of Corporate Acquisition of Game Studios," then a session about “Electronic Games, the Economy of the Future," followed by a session “From Pixels to the Podium: Studying the Relationship between eSports and the Olympic Games," in addition to a session on “Stagnation of E-Sports: Is the Story Over?”.

On its second day, the forum will witness a session titled "The Impact of Politics on Electronic Games," a session entitled “Challenges Women Face in Achieving Leadership Roles in the World of Electronic Games," and then a session about “Analyzing the Mental and Physical Health of Esports Players" and a keynote session entitled “Better Digital Governance in Metaverse and Blockchain."

The winners of the "Gamers Season Awards for Clubs" will be announced during the "Next World Forum," which is an innovative method for awarding rewards and an updated system that will constitute a quantum leap in the world of electronic sports.



Government: Soccer-related Arrests Have Risen in England

Soccer Football - Euro 2020 - Group D - General view of Wembley Stadium ahead of the England v Croatia match - Wembley Stadium, London, Britain - June 12, 2021 REUTERS/Carl Recine/File Photo
Soccer Football - Euro 2020 - Group D - General view of Wembley Stadium ahead of the England v Croatia match - Wembley Stadium, London, Britain - June 12, 2021 REUTERS/Carl Recine/File Photo
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Government: Soccer-related Arrests Have Risen in England

Soccer Football - Euro 2020 - Group D - General view of Wembley Stadium ahead of the England v Croatia match - Wembley Stadium, London, Britain - June 12, 2021 REUTERS/Carl Recine/File Photo
Soccer Football - Euro 2020 - Group D - General view of Wembley Stadium ahead of the England v Croatia match - Wembley Stadium, London, Britain - June 12, 2021 REUTERS/Carl Recine/File Photo

Soccer-related arrests are the on rise in England and Wales, the UK government said on Thursday. The highest number of cases were recorded at West Ham matches for the third year in a row, The Associated Press reported.
There were 2,584 football-related arrests in the 2023-24 season — a 14% increase on the previous year, figures released by the Home Office showed.
The government said the rise was driven by arrests relating to the possession of class A drugs and this year's European Championship in Germany.
The rate of arrests over the season was 5.5 per 100,000 fans attending matches in the top six levels of men’s English soccer, the Welsh league and the top two levels of women's soccer. Statistics also covered matches involving the England and Wales national teams, the Champions League final staged at Wembley Stadium, and age group matches.
“It is important that these figures are put into context. Last season around 47 million people attended men’s domestic and international matches, the highest number we have on record, and the vast majority of football fans are law-abiding citizens who want to support their team," said chief constable Mark Roberts, who is the lead for soccer policing in the UK. “However, there are a small number of fans who commit offences, and we will continue to work closely with (prosecutors) and our other partners to ensure that those responsible are held accountable."
According to the figures, there were no arrests at women's matches, despite their growing popularity and increased attendances.
Figures showed 281 arrests related to Euro 2024.
The club with the highest number of arrests was West Ham, with 103. Manchester City and Manchester United were joint second with 88. Arsenal was fourth (85) and Chelsea sixth (67).
West Ham also had the highest number of banning orders (93), with Man United second (89). Second-tier Millwall was third with 82 banning orders.
A banning order can last from three to 10 years and can be issued by courts for reasons such as a conviction for a soccer-related offense.
There were 825 new banning orders, the highest number since 2010-11.
The most common type of arrest was for public disorder, which made up 43% of cases, with violent disorder making up 19%. Possession of class A drugs accounted for 13%.
The throwing of missiles was the most commonly reported incident, at 416 matches, with pyrotechnics reported at 394 matches.
There were reports of hate crime incidents in 341 matches, which related to issues including race (226) and sexual orientation (113).
There were 423 incidents of online hate crime.