The 2023 World Combat Games (WCG) will take place in Riyadh, the capital of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, from October 21–30, 2023, and GAISF is thrilled to announce this. At a joint meeting on September 8, 2022, between GAISF and the Local Organizing Committee, the exact dates for the most prestigious celebration of combat sports and martial arts to be held in the stunning capital city of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, were approved. His Royal Highness Prince Fahad bin Jalawi Bin Abdulaziz, vice president of the Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee (SAOC), and Stephan Fox, chair of the GAISF Multi-Sport Games, shared leadership of the meeting. The meeting attendees also decided on the event's date and talked about other topics, such as the opening and closing ceremonies, sites for the competition, and the prize ceremony. "The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is looking forward to hosting a memorable and inclusive 2023 World Combat Games in Riyadh," SAOC President His Royal Highness Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Faisal Al Saud remarked. This gathering will honor variety, celebrate togetherness, and spread to the rest of the globe the virtues of martial arts and combat sports. It will be a thrilling international multi-sport festival, and we are looking forward to hosting competitors, spectators, and authorities. "We are delighted to announce the dates for the 2023 World Combat Games in the city of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia," stated Ivo Ferriani, president of the GAISF and SportAccord. I am confident that international athletes and fans visiting Riyadh will be welcomed with open arms. The upcoming generation of combat sports and martial arts athletes in Riyadh and around the world will be motivated by these important multisport events. More than 2,000 athletes representing 15 combat and martial arts disciplines are anticipated to compete in the WCG, which is well under way in preparation.
The recent joint meeting was followed by a historic signing ceremony in Riyadh in April 2022, and in November 2021, delegates from the GAISF, led by Stephan Fox, had the chance to tour the potential locations for the WCG. "The 2023 World Combat Games is far more than an international sporting event; it is a sporting, cultural, and educational exchange that will combine ancient tradition with world-class competition," said Stephan Fox, Chairman of the GAISF Multi-Sport Games and Vice President of the GAISF. Riyadh will transform into the world's capital of martial arts for the duration of the nine days. 15 combat sports and martial arts events, sporting demonstrations, and educational conferences led by top martial arts specialists will be included at the WCG, an international multi-sport festival fusing ancient traditions, thrilling competitions, and sporting exhibitions. In addition, the occasion will play host to the inaugural World Martial Arts Gala, honoring legendary practitioners of martial arts and combat sports.
