An agreement has been finalised for esports to be included as a pilot event at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England, and plans are being discussed for it to become a fully-fledged medal discipline by 2026.
While no medals will be up for grabs during the Birmingham pilot, which will be branded as the Commonwealth Esport Championships, its success or failure in drawing a younger audience to the Games will determine if it is added to the full programme in the next four-year cycle.
Details are expected to be released soon and it is believed DOTA 2 will be one of three titles to feature.
The Commonwealth Games could undergo dramatic change across the next decade as it fights for its standing on the international sporting landscape. Future hosts have already been told they will be given greater flexibility on which sports to include, with only athletics and swimming compulsory under their new requirements.
This latest step is a radical departure from the traditional make-up of a multi-sports event, but could yet be a forerunner for others looking to utilise the $1 billion esports industry.
The 2022 Commonwealth Games is an international multi-sport event for members of the Commonwealth that is scheduled to be held in Birmingham, England, between the 28th of July and the 8th of August, 2022.
