Important Esport and Sports in the Middle East

The Middle East is filled with landmark esports and sports events. The love of the region's people for gaming is not underestimated and they do love healthy competition, whether it takes place on a screen or in real life. As a result, you can imagine that the calendar is chock-full of tremendously exciting events that peak your interest and make you want to attend and even participate. Below is a list of some of those events from the world of electronic and real-life sports that you may want to check out.

POPC Live!

POPC Live! is the latest initiative set up by the Waverider and Galaxy Racer (GXR) which will emulate the format and example set by Razer and DreamHack. The idea of the event is to reunite game developer, streamers and other gaming culture entities and personalities and bring them together to the Middle East. Dubai will play host to the unique event in March 2022, and it will equally focus on competitive video gaming. There are numerous possible video games players from the region will be welcome to compete in, including:

• PUBG Mobile
• League of Legends
• Dota 2

Not only that, but Dubai will host the GIRLGAMER World Finals, which marks an important part in women's involvement in competitive video gaming as a whole. The organizers feel confident that their efforts will be rewarded with success and Dubai will transform itself as a leader in esports in the Middle East region.

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

If you are a true fan of sports, and you are based in the Middle East, you will definitely have heard about the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The United Arab Emirates annually plays host to one of the most intense events on the F1 calender races. Abu Dhabi marks one of the pivotal moments in F1 racing and it's a true testimony to the Middle East region's pull on sports.

The Grand Prix event has consistently brought out some of the best drivers and the next event on the Yas Marina Circuit is now locked in for December 12. This means that fans from the region will have enough time to bask in the hype and look forward to one of the most serious races out there, pitting the talents of Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton, among many others. In fact, the Middle East appreciates both esports and well real motorsports, a very interesting social and sporting cross-over.

Free Fire Arab League

If you are looking for more worthwhile esports action coming directly from the Middle East region, you cannot go wrong with picking Free Fire – Garena's record-setting battle royale game. Free Fire is a fantastic title with quite the reach in the Middle East region. It's so because of how simple it is to get started with it and how rewarding the overall experience is. Garena's commitment to esports in the Middle East has been quite prominent, too. The company is developing a number of formats and the ongoing Arab League is designed to keep competition fresh as well as incentivize grassroots teams into shooting for the top. Players who appreciate competitive video gaming in the region will have no trouble whatsoever showing their love for Free Fire.

Baloot Championship

The Baloot Championship is focused on the popular trick card game of the same name. Baloot is a unique game that is played on the Arabian Peninsula and that hosts its very own special annual event. Playing Baloot is a bit of a point of pride for people in the Middle East, and that explains why interest in this seemingly unimportant trick card game is so massive. The game's history goes back to the Ottoman Empire when Indian settlers brought it with them. However, Baloot itself is much older. There are some 12,000 people who are excited to register each year and try their hand at this timeless classic. So far as card games go, the Middle East really seems to be a place where Baloot is thriving and even though the monetary prizes aren't much, the game itself lives on regardless of what incentives wait at the finish line.

Card games are especially popular with young gamers, too, who are enjoying titles from the world of esports, such as Hearthstone, Magic: The Gathering, and even Legends of Runeterra. Players are very welcome to try their hand at either the esports or real-world version. One thing is certain - the Middle East loves card games!