Saudi Arabia’s gaming scene is massive, with around 23.5 million gamers making up roughly 67 per cent of the population. And, stc has positioned itself right in the middle of the scene for the second year as the founding partner of the Esports World Cup (EWC).
Mohammed bin Rashid Abaalkheil, Vice President of Corporate Relations at stc, shares with Campaign Middle East how shares how the telco is deepening its connection with Saudi youth and powering the Esports World Cup as a founding partner.
“Our partnership with the Esports World Cup is about championing a passionate gaming community that has been part of Saudi culture for years,” says Abaalkheil. He adds, “Our message to young Saudis is simple: we have built the digital engine that will power your ambition.”
The brand sees itself not just as a sponsor, but as a digital enabler helping turn gaming passion into professional opportunity. Through collaboration with the Saudi Esports Federation, stc supports initiatives such as the Job Attachment Programme, which offers hands-on experience and mentorship to aspiring esports professionals. “We want young people to see stc group as the digital enabler that powers their world,” Abaalkheil notes.
Powering performance and experiences
stc’s activation at the EWC goes beyond visibility to create immersive, value-driven experiences for players and fans alike. This is realised across three core areas: player performance, integrated venues, and enhanced fan experience.
“For the players, relevance means performance,” Abaalkheil explains. “We provide the technical and operational backbone for the EWC. Our intelligent network architecture uses AI-powered analytics to adapt in real time, ensuring the ultra-low latency and seamless, lag-free environment that professional gaming demands.”
Within the event venues, stc has created interactive spaces such as the stc Heroes Hub, where fans use generative AI to create custom avatars from a selfie, and the Hero Challenge, a reaction game offering limited-edition prizes. “Inside the stc Gaming Hall, fans can engage directly with our ecosystem,” he says. “We also have dedicated zones for HD streaming and photo opportunities in and around the stc Esports Arena, where the most critical games will be played.”
The experience extends beyond the arena, with stc tv streaming all matches on a dedicated channel featuring a 14-day replay option. On-site engagement is further enhanced through the mystc app, which offers major prizes, including a weekly car giveaway.
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Brand purpose and authenticity
stc’s approach to gaming is deeply connected to its broader brand purpose. “Our core purpose is to enrich people’s personal and professional lives. Our brand is built on a promise of progress and moving everything forward,” Abaalkheil says.
Recognising the sector’s potential, Abaalkheil highlights that esports is projected to contribute $13 bn to Saudi Arabia’s GDP by 2030, higlighting both its cultural and economic significance.
On the question of brand authenticity in gaming, he stresses the need for understanding the ecosystem and playing a genuine role. “Authenticity is about understanding the ecosystem and finding a credible role within it. It means asking, ‘How can my brand genuinely improve the experience for players or fans?’ For stc group, our answer is to be the foundational digital enabler as an Elite and Founding partner of the EWC. We power the event’s network and digital capabilities, providing its essential technical foundation. Our contribution is the guarantee of a stable, high-speed, low-latency network environment, without which the competition could not happen at this level. Our role is authentic because it’s functional and essential.”
He adds that brands need to reconsider their approach: “Brands need to shift their thinking from ‘How can I be seen by gamers?’ to ‘How can I serve gamers?’ The former is marketing; the latter is partnership.”
Balancing short-term and long-term goals
stc’s commitment to the EWC is multi-year, reflecting a strategy that balances immediate marketing activations with the building of long-term brand equity.
“The short-term marketing activations and performance metrics from the event are the proof points that bring our long-term commitment to life,” Abaalkheil says. At the 2024 EWC, stc achieved 99.9 per cent network availability, ensuring uninterrupted, high-performance connectivity for more than 10,000 players throughout the tournament.
He stresses that “every flawless match and seamless stream is an immediate marketing gain that also serves as an investment in our long-term reputation as the undisputed digital enabler of the region.”
Building for the future
Looking ahead, stc aims to set the standard for digital event enablement in esports globally. “Five years from now, we want the global esports community to see stc group as the standard for digital event enablement. We want players to know that when an event is powered by stc group, the performance will be flawless,” Abaalkheil says.
To achieve this, stc is investing heavily in future-ready infrastructure. “For EWC 2025, we increased network coverage by over 20 per cent compared to last year. We are deploying AI-driven traffic modeling, cognitive Self-Optimising Networks, and Software-Defined Networking (SDN) that enables rapid failover and real-time optimisation. This is the technology that creates a competitive, lag-free environment.”
At the same time, stc is building a comprehensive digital ecosystem. “This extends from integrating platforms like stc tv for broadcasting and sirar by stc for cybersecurity, to supporting individual gamers at home with tailored offerings like our ‘Level Up’ data packages. Our goal is to be the first choice for gaming customers in their daily lives.”
Finally, stc is reinforcing its long-term commitment through sustained partnerships. “Our three-year partnership with the Esports World Cup Foundation demonstrates that we are a dedicated partner, invested in the sustainable growth of the ecosystem alongside the players, clubs, and fans.”
Abaalkheil sums up the company’s ambition: “We want to be remembered as the invisible and integral force that powered the most iconic moments in esports history, right here from the Kingdom.”
