The ‘esports + sports’ tournament, organised by Madrid in Game, is set to take place on 24 and 25 October at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano, coinciding with a LaLiga match between Atlético de Madrid and RC Deportivo. This event combines traditional football with esports, featuring 3x3 matches in both physical and virtual formats.
In collaboration with Atlético de Madrid, the tournament aims to showcase the potential of video games as tools for personal development, learning, and socialisation. Ángel Niño, the councillor for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, attended the event and highlighted its goal to merge the worlds of physical and digital sports.
Teams will compete in three categories: children aged 12 to 15, juniors aged 16 to 17, and seniors aged 18 and over. Each team will face opponents in both 3x3 football matches and EA Sports FC 27 games, with the results combined to determine the overall winners.
According to Niño, “this initiative was born from the understanding that sport and video games are two sides of the same reality, where complementary skills such as physical coordination, real-time decision-making, and strategic thinking in digital environments are essential.” He noted that younger generations naturally navigate both physical and digital spaces and that the tournament aims to promote physical exercise and a healthy lifestyle while also fostering concentration, problem-solving, and cognitive agility.
Since its inception in 2023, ‘esports + sports’ has evolved into one of the most innovative formats at the intersection of sports and gaming, aiming not only to provide competitive opportunities but also to highlight the value of video games in society.
