Vanguard Announces Three-Year Partnership with Riot Games to Operate the Arabian League and VALORANT Challengers League MENA

Vanguard, the Saudi-born trailblazer at the forefront of the esports industry, has announced a partnership with Riot Games to operate and manage the Arabian League (AL) for League of Legends and the VALORANT Challengers League MENA (VCL). 

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The milestone agreements, which have a three-year licensing cycle (2025–2027), solidifies Vanguard as a leader in the esports industry while highlighting its dedication to advancing the esports  sector locally and regionally and  contributing to Saudi Arabia's National Gaming and Esports Strategy.

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AL will begin on Friday, February 14, and run for eight months. VCL MENA will begin on Saturday, March 8 and run for seven months. Both leagues will feature the best teams from the MENA region, ensuring broad representation from key esports markets such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, as well as teams from the Middle East, North Africa, and Pakistan. 

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Eng. Mohammed Al-Otaibi, Chairman of the Board and Founder of Vanguard, said: “We are delighted to partner with Riot Games, which reflects our commitment to fostering a thriving and competitive ecosystem that empowers players and teams, attracts audiences, and inspires the next generation of esports stars. The partnership is in line with the aspirations of Saudi Vision 2030 and further enhances Vanguard’s track record of success in delivering world-class events such as the Esports World Cup, Gamers8, and the Saudi eLeague.”

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As the official operator, Vanguard will oversee all aspects of operations and management, including competitive operations, social media management, creative production, and live broadcasting, as well as sponsorship and partnership management.

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The collaboration with Riot Games reflects Vanguard's strategic goals of nurturing talent, enhancing community engagement, hosting regional and global IPs in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia and, in addition, enriching the gaming experience for players, teams, and audiences across the region.

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Vanguard’s success is built on the core pillars of quality, operational excellence, competitive integrity, the promotion of creative content, and enriching experiences across the board. Through this partnership, Vanguard aims to elevate AL and VCL MENA to the highest levels.