FIA Launches Global Call for Proposals to Secure Commercial Promoters for Sanctioned “FIA Esports Championships”

The Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) has officially launched a public Call for Proposal to secure commercial promoters and tournament organisers for its newly sanctioned FIA Esports Championships.

The global governing body for motor sport aims to identify long-term strategic partners capable of designing, funding, and executing competitive sim racing formats, establishing a formal digital pathway to complement traditional grassroots motorsport.

Emphasing the importance of the initiative, FIA president, H.E. Mohammed Ben Sulayem, stating, “Esports represents one of the most accessible and rapidly growing forms of competition, creating new pathways for people around the world to engage with motor sport.

“This Call for Proposal marks an important milestone in the development of the FIA’s Esports strategy as we identify opportunities that will support sustainable growth and attract new audiences and competitors,” he said.

Echoing his sentiments, FIA Esports commission president, Niroshan Pereira, added: “The launch of this public Call for Proposal marks an important step in identifying experienced organisers and promoters capable of delivering FIA Esports Championships that meet the highest standards of excellence, integrity, innovation, and audience engagement.”

“Through this initiative, we aim to establish a transparent and ambitious framework that will support the sustainable growth of competitive Esports under the FIA umbrella while fostering collaboration across the wider Esports ecosystem,” Pereira noted.

Commercial operators and sports entertainment agencies have until 08:00 CEST on 17 August 2026 to submit formal documentation to the federation.

Formulating the Multi-Year Esports Commercial Strategy

The public tender explicitly requires applicants to submit comprehensive championship concepts that address structural, geographical, and commercial viability. Submissions must outline detailed competition formats, designate international venues for live on-site finals, establish an expanded geographical scope, and provide a robust commercial framework designed to ensure long-term financial stability. This commercial push is strategically timed to capitalise on rapid sector growth, with verified industry data projecting global esports market revenues to reach USD5.1 billion (AUD7.2 billion).

The shift toward a promoter-led model reflects the FIA’s intent to transition sim racing from isolated, regional events into a cohesive, monetisable global property. The potential of the discipline has already been proven by high-performance benchmarks within the ecosystem.

The 2025 FIA MENA Esports Championship generated 111 million views, while the newly introduced FIA Esports Global Rally Tour attracted over 6,000 driver registrations across 159 countries for its online qualifiers, paving the way for a live grand final at the prestigious FIA Awards in Shanghai.

Unlocking New Pathways and Democratising Motorsport

By formalising its esports framework, the central governing body aims to lower the traditional economic barriers to entry associated with physical motorsport, such as karting and junior single-seater formulas. High-end simulation racing has gained immense institutional credibility, supported by active participation from elite professional racing drivers, including multi-time Formula One world champion, Max Verstappen. The FIA intends to leverage this crossover appeal to capture younger demographics and generate novel sponsorship, broadcasting, and licensing revenue streams.

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