FIFA and the Saudi Esports Federation have postponed the FIFAe Finals due to recent regional security concerns.

Originally scheduled for 16th to 25th October 2026, the FIFAe Finals were designed to bring together worlds of virtual football and competitive gaming across three categories.

There were a total of 120 countries that participated in the online qualification stages. Among them, 12 teams qualified for the final tournament of eFootball Console and eFootball Mobile each. In addition to these, 16 teams in Rocket League also secured their spot in the final bracket.

It was shaping up to be one of the biggest esports events for the month of October. However, just before the opening day, FIFA and the Saudi Esports Federation announced that the FIFAe Finals were postponed.

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When Will FIFAe Finals Happen Now?

As of now, the exact new dates of the FIFAe Finals haven’t been announced. In the announcement, it was mentioned that the details about the new date and venue will be revealed soon.

This isn’t the first major eSports tournament to be cancelled in Saudi this year. The eSports Nations Cup was scheduled for November 2026. However, the major event was delayed for a full year due to the Middle East geopolitical situation and wider regional instability. The event will now happen in November 2027.

Unlike the FIFAe Finals, we know that the eSports Nations Cup hasn’t changed its venue. Before the FIFAe Finals was officially postponed, the national esports teams of Japan and Brazil had already withdrawn from the competition.

As of right now, official refund policies of tickets have not been outlined by FIFA or the Saudi Esports Federation yet amid this incident. However, expect the details to be revealed soon.

Last Word on FIFA Postponing FIFAe Finals

From a safety perspective, this is the only acceptable and responsible choice taken by FIFA and the Saudi Esports Federation. However, from a competitive perspective, this is a major disruption. Teams from all around the world have prepared for the competition for months. Naturally, having the competition postponed right before the opening day is a massive setback.

Overall, prioritizing safety over the competition is the correct step taken by FIFA and the Saudi Esports Federation