Dubai will house the UAE’s first ever dedicated esports arena after TECOM Group and Dubai Media Office announced plans to build the Dubai X-Stadium.

In a first for the region, the Dubai X-Stadium is aiming to become a global hub for video gaming events.

The esports industry – which brings together sports, gaming and entertainment, is one of the fastest growing in the world, with global revenues expected to hit $1.5 billion by 2020.

The Dubai X-Stadium should enable the UAE to tap into that lucrative market.

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and chairman of the board of trustees of Dubai Future Foundation, was one of the key figures behind the proposal, which falls under the Dubai 10X initiative,

“We are living in a world where digital culture is reshaping all aspects of life, including sports,” Mona Ghanem Al Marri, director general of the Dubai Media Office, said.

“This has led us to develop the concept of Dubai X-Stadium, which will consolidate Dubai’s status as a key digital economy hub,” The idea aims at attracting millions of esports gamers, spectators and enthusiasts from around the world and offering them unique on-line and in-person experiences.”

Malek Al Malek, CEO of TECOM Group added: “TECOM Group, a member of Dubai Holding, is proud to take part in conceptualizing the Dubai X-Stadium, where we seek to attract and harness the creativity, talent and innovation of young generations, which is largely in line with our strategic vision in TECOM Group.”