• Collaboration to drive the development of the Women’s Saudi eLeague and encourage greater female participation in esports
  • SEF and Yalla Group to establish Talent Development Program to empower the Kingdom’s next generation of esports talent

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: The Saudi Esports Federation (SEF) has partnered with Yalla Group Limited to expand opportunities for national talent, enhance inclusivity and support efforts to develop a sustainable gaming and esports ecosystem.

Supporting the aims of Vision 2030 and the National Gaming and Esports Strategy, to establish Saudi Arabia as a global leader in gaming and esports, SEF and Yalla Group signed two Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to further develop esports within the Kingdom and establish new pathways for aspiring talent to develop key skills and experience.

Under the first agreement, Yalla Group has been named as the Official Event Partner for the Saudi eLeague (SEL) 2026, Kingdom’s flagship esports competition and testing ground for national talent within the Kingdom’s gaming ecosystem.

A key priority of this collaboration is the support of the Women’s Saudi eLeague. By focusing on this division, SEF and Yalla Group aim to foster a more inclusive environment and encourage greater female participation in competitive gaming across the Kingdom.

The second MoU covers the establishment of a Talent Development Program in partnership with the Saudi Esports Academy. The program aims to empower Saudi esports athletes and provide training, hands on experience and mentorship to aspiring talent to enhance their competitive skills and experience, supporting efforts to drive professional development and elevate Saudi Arabia’s impact on international competitions.

"Partnering with a MENA leader like Yalla Group brings valuable regional expertise to the Saudi eLeague,” said Ibrahim Alsheddi, Chief Shared Services Officer at the Saudi Esports Federation. “This collaboration is crucial for amplifying the league's prestige and ensuring it delivers a world-class experience for players and fans."

Mr. Saifi Ismail, President of Yalla Group, said: “This partnership marks an important step in our engagement with Saudi Arabia’s esports sector. By supporting both national competitions and talent development, we are proud to contribute to the sustainable growth of the Kingdom’s gaming ecosystem.”

The collaboration between the Saudi Esports Federation and Yalla Group supports efforts to accelerate the Kingdom’s development as a premier global hub for gaming. By bridging the gap between grassroots and professional competition, the partnership ensures that Saudi Arabia’s esports infrastructure remains at the forefront of innovation.

As the Saudi eLeagues 2026 approach, this collaboration reaffirms the Saudi Esports Federation’s commitment to building a diverse, inclusive, and sustainable industry that produces leading talent to compete at the highest level nationally, regionally and internationally.

For more information on the Saudi Esports Federation, visit: saudiesports.sa.  

About Yalla Group:

Yalla Group Limited is the largest MENA-based online social networking and gaming company, in terms of revenues in 2022. The Company operates two flagship mobile applications, Yalla, a voice-centric group chat platform, and Yalla Ludo, a casual gaming application featuring online versions of board games, popular in MENA, with in-game voice chat and localized Majlis functionality. Building on the success of Yalla and Yalla Ludo, the Company continues to add engaging new content, creating a regionally focused, integrated ecosystem dedicated to fulfilling MENA users' evolving online social networking and gaming needs. Through its holding subsidiary, Yalla Game Limited, the Company has expanded its capabilities in mid-core and hard-core games in the MENA region, leveraging its local expertise to bring innovative gaming content to its users. In addition, the growing Yalla ecosystem includes YallaChat, an IM product tailored for Arabic users, WeMuslim, a product that supports Arabic users in observing their customs, and casual games such as Yalla Baloot and 101 Okey Yalla, developed to sustain vibrant local gaming communities in MENA. Yalla is also actively exploring outside of MENA with Yalla Parchis, a Ludo game designed for the South American markets. Yalla's mobile applications deliver a seamless experience that fosters a sense of loyalty and belonging, establishing highly devoted and engaged user communities through close attention to detail and localized appeal that profoundly resonates with users.

About Saudi Esports Federation:

The Saudi Esports Federation is the regulating body in charge of nurturing elite gaming athletes and developing the gaming community and industry in Saudi Arabia.

The Federation’s activities are categorized into two complementary streams. The first stream works to develop all levels of competitive gamers, starting with the grassroots community level and moving up to professional esports athletes that can achieve global excellence. The second stream works to develop the entire gaming/esports value chain by catalyzing the industry and enabling talent.

Since its establishment in late 2017, the federation has organized multiple world-class national and international tournaments and events, attracted investment from local private sector actors and worked with international developers on opportunities in the Saudi market.