The World Combat Games (WCG), an international multi-sport event involving 15 combat sports and martial arts, will be held in Riyadh in 2023, as per the Global Association of International Sports Federations (GAISF), the parent body for all international sports federations.

The World Combat Games is a spectacular festival of combat sports and martial arts, featuring the top athletes from across the world and creating global attention for these sports and the host nation.

The World Combat Games (WCG), sponsored by GAISF, aims to build connections between elite sport and local populations via exciting projects that encourage young involvement in combat sports and martial arts.

“Saudi Arabia is aiming forth to welcome athletes from all over the globe to the Kingdom,” stated Minister of Sports Prince Abdulaziz Bin Turki Al-Faisal, who is also the head of the Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee (SAOC).

“Saudi Arabia strongly supports Olympic values, and this event fits inside the country's 2030 objective of promoting a dynamic society with a varied and prosperous economy.”

“Saudi Arabia seems to have the infrastructure and will utilize this event to grow the martial arts fraternity in Saudi Arabia, and leverage this multi-sport games as one of the first significant events leading up to the Asian Games 2034,” he said.

“The World Combat Games is more than just a sports event supported by GAISF; it is part of an MoU between GAISF and the IOC,” said GAISF President Raffaele Chiulli. The WCG denotes sports from both the Olympic and non-Olympic families. The next stage will be to complete the sports program with the International Sports Federations and get final IOC approval.”

Stephan Fox, chairperson of the GAISF multi-sport games and GAISF vice president, and a former martial arts world champion, stated, "Saudi Arabia is an excellent option in this post-pandemic event highlighting cultural exchanges from across the world, and is the excellent bridge among elite sport and community groups."

“Saudi Arabia's bid is strong and encouraging. The objective of this event is to create a festival-like environment. There would be seminars led by prominent martial arts masters, educational conferences, and the inaugural World Martial Arts Gala honoring martial arts and combat sports legends,” Fox noted.

The MoU was signed throughout a special event at the Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee's (SAOC) General Assembly, which featured all renowned martial arts and combat sport national federations.