It has been revealed that the 2022 Commonwealth Games will include an inaugural Esports Championship and an Esports Forum when it takes place this summer. Revealed in a blog post, we're told that the event is set to be hosted as part of a strategic partnership between the Global Esports Federation and the Commonwealth Games Federation, which was announced in May 2020.
The event will be taking place between August 6-7 and will be hosted at the International Convention Centre in Birmingham, and will be supported by the British Esports Association. While there's been no mention as to which game/games will be played at the tournament just yet, we are told that it will feature esports athletes from all over the Commonwealth and that there will be demonstrations of the technology that support the merging of esports and sports.
"I am delighted that we are announcing the first Commonwealth Esports Championships and Commonwealth Esports Forum to take place in Birmingham this summer," said CGF president, Dame Louise Martin. "Esports is continuing to grow dramatically in terms of popularity and participation, particularly amongst young people, and we are continuing to look at ways to explore how it can align with the Commonwealth Sports Movement."
Martin continued, "Commonwealth Esports Championships provides an excellent opportunity to pilot esports close to the Commonwealth Games. This will allow 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."
It's noted that the event will feature separate branding, medals, organisation, and governance to the Commonwealth Games, but that it will be supported by the Business and Tourism Programme to drive tourism and investment for the Midlands region.
