Esports has been included as a test event for this summer’s Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, organisers announced today.
Billed as the Commonwealth Esports Championships, it will be separate from the main Games but it is the first step in its potential full inclusion at the Games in four years’ time.
Commonwealth Games Federation president Dame Louise Martin said: “Esports is continuing to grow dramatically in terms of popularity and participation particularly among young people, and we are continuing to look at ways to explore how it can align with the Commonwealth sports movement.
“This allows us to review the long-term relationship between the Commonwealth Games and esports as we continue to evolve and explore future editions of our event and what they could look like.”
Esports is also set to make its debut at the Asian Games later this year while the International Olympic Committee lent its backing earlier this year to an Olympic Virtual Series in the run-up to last summer’s Tokyo Games.
