Calling all girl gamers across the Middle East: now is your time to shine. 10X Media, an initiative of the Government of Dubai Media Office; Dubai Ladies Club; Grow uP eSports; and Galaxy Racer announced today that they will join forces to form the first-ever all-women E-Sports team in the Middle East. 

The newly-formed team, comprised of five girls from across the Middle East, will compete at the first Dubai-hosted GIRLGAMER World Finals tournament in December, before going on to compete at regional and international events in League of Legends (LoL) tournaments throughout the year.

Aspiring E-Sports pros, aged 16 or over, can apply to be part of the seminal all-girls team, by registering on the website here. Furthermore, existing all-female teams of five, can apply for the GCC entry for the GIRLGAMER World Finals – scheduled to be held in Dubai at the Meydan Grandstand from December 12-14 – by submitting their application on the website. Registrations fall into two categories:

• For UAE Nationals and UAE Residents:
  • Individuals who want to apply to be part of a LoL team
  • Existing LoL female teams of five
• For nationals and residents of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman and Kuwait:
  • Existing LoL female teams of five (individual players cannot apply)

The deadline for registrations is 12 November. A rigorous selection process, overseen by representatives from 10X Media, Dubai Ladies Club, Grow uP eSports and Galaxy Racer will determine the team that will go forward to represent the region at the biggest international women’s E-Sports festival.

Abdulla Mansouri, Team Leader at 10X Media, commented: “With the creation of the Middle East’s first-ever female E-Sports team, Dubai is once again taking the lead in empowering the region’s women to participate in new emerging sectors. This announcement reinforces Dubai’s role as a leader in creating exciting new opportunities for youth in the region. We seek to engage talented youth in the growth and development of this industry. The GIRLGAMER World Finals tournament positions Dubai as a hub for the global E-Sports industry and supports its strategy of transforming its media industry with future-oriented projects.”

Lamia Abdulaziz Khan, Director of Dubai Ladies Club, said: “We at Dubai Ladies Club are happy to support the GIRLGAMER Esports Festival, as it is in line with our commitment to enhance the overall wellbeing and success of women in different areas by encouraging their participation in various competitive fields, including esports. I’m pleased to say that across the world, women are playing a larger role in shaping this industry. As of 2018, female eSports enthusiasts grew to 46 million globally, while female viewers and audience reached 73 million. Competitions like the GIRLGAMER Esports Festival will help raise the visibility of women in esports, enhancing their representation and highlighting their accomplishments in the region and across the world.”

Telmo Silva, CEO and Founder at Grow uP eSports added: “Our mission in creating the GIRLGAMER E-Sports Festival was always to build and support E-sports opportunities for young women around the world. Through our 2019 global event series, that vision is being realised. With our Dubai-based partners, we are excited to highlight a Middle East team at the World Finals.”

Paul Roy, CEO of Galaxy Racer Esports, said: “As the sports entertainment world witnesses a seismic shift towards the E-Sports industry, with revenues, audience numbers and participation figures all rising at an exponential rate, we’re proud to be a crucial part of the region’s rapid E-Sports evolution.”

Women’s participation in the global eSports industry has seen a huge leap in recent years. In 2018, the number of women eSports enthusiasts grew to 46 million from 38 million the previous year, a growth of 21%. Women’s viewership of eSports grew from 23.9 percent of all watchers in 2016 to 30.4 percent in the fourth quarter of 2018, according to a recent report.

For the first time in the Middle East, Dubai will host the World Finals of the third annual GIRLGAMER Esports Festival – the world’s most recognised female-focused E-Sports competition – on December 12 -14 at Meydan Grandstand.

In association with the Government of Dubai Media Office (GDMO), the Festival will reinforce Dubai’s status as a leading destination for digital content development, with E-Sports one of the key focus sectors. The event will further enhance the emirate’s position as major global venue for sporting events.