Closer ties with Iran + Esports World Cup lead coverage

No single story dominated coverage of Saudi in the international press over the weekend, but Reuters and AFP are both picking up congratulations passed by King Salman and Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman to Iran’s new president-elect, Masoud Pezeshkian. (See more in this morning’s Diplomacy section, below.)

Meanwhile, the kickoff of the first Esports World Cup last week in the capital is getting ink from Bloomberg. The event, which runs until August, has been turning heads with record-setting USD 60 mn purse — that’s triple what was up for grabs at May’s PGA Championship and is on the same level as Wimbledon.

The goal: “We want Saudi to be a natural part of the conversation where you cannot talk about the gaming industry and especially esports without mentioning Saudi on the top of your mind,” Saudi Esports Federation Chairman Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan Al Saud told Bloomberg.

Remember- This is part of the Kingdom’s efforts to diversify its economy, with the industry expected to contribute SAR 50 bn to the economy, according to Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman.