Mohamed Muizzu, the President of the Maldives, has officially confirmed that construction of a new esports arena in Malé will begin later in 2026.
The esports arena, currently known as the E-Gaming Arena, will be built at Sultan Park in Malé. The site currently has an old winter-themed park that is no longer in use. The government has decided to remove that structure and use the space for the new esports facility.
According to official plans, the arena will have:
- Around 40 gaming stations
- A tournament area for competitions, including international events
- A media room
- Other supporting facilities
The primary goal of this arena is to support the growth of esports in the Maldives by giving young players a proper place to train and compete and helping the country host larger gaming events.
The esports arena project was first announced in 2025 after concerns were raised about the lack of gaming and recreational spaces in Malé. Now, the government says the project is already in progress and construction is expected to begin in the second quarter of 2026, with work likely taking about 360 days to complete.
The latest update came during a recent “Espresso with President” session, also known as “Espresso with Raes,” where the President met with young people to discuss topics like gaming, sports, and infrastructure. These sessions are part of regular open forums where youth can directly talk with the President.
Maldivian esports player Hassan Aseel Rasheed, who attended the event, shared photos from the event, including one where he is seen shaking hands with President Muizzu and another showing the discussion setup with the President on stage and a youth audience present.
Along with the Maldives, a bunch of other countries and esports orgs are pouring massive investments into esports arenas. Recently, British Esports gave a first look at the British Arena, an entertainment and esports venue set to open in summer 2026. Meanwhile, China’s Chongqing Wolves have already opened their new arena in Chongqing, built with an investment of around 200 million CNY (about $27–28 million).
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