ICYMI: Saudi Arabia is hosting the first-ever Esports World Cup in Boulevard Riyadh City from July 2nd to August 25th.
The attention of the gaming world is fixed on the region this summer, and ours, naturally, is on the lineup of female gamers paving the way for representation in the MENA gaming industry.
Spoiler alert: these gamer girls will make you want to pick up that controller.
Maryam Maher (aka Mary Gaming)
Who is she: 17-year-old Bahraini professional gamer and the first GCC-based female gamer to join an international Esports team. Mary Maher, AKA Mary Gaming, isn’t just dominating on the Valorant battlefield, she’s dominating the whole gaming scene. At only 16 years old she joined the renowned international E-Sports team, G2, and even went on to win the Valorant Champions 2022. She’s the number one female Fortnite player in the region and the youngest MENA-based gamer to ever be signed by a professional gaming organisation, NASR ESports.
Madiha Naz
Who is she: Madiha ‘Madi’ Naz is a professional esports player. She was captain of the first-ever all-female Middle Eastern esports team and has represented MENA in international women’s tournaments. Another gamer girl redefining the gaming landscape, Madi is leading the charge in female esports athlete achievements. In 2022, she was the first esports athlete to be nominated by the U.A.E. government for a golden visa. She was recently recognized in Forbes Middle East’s 30 under 30 list for her role in the esports industry.
Lululunaa
Who is she: Laila, popularly known as Lululunaa, is a Twitch partner, content creator for Geekay Esports, and a Miss Esports Ambassador. Among her list of accolades, the Moroccan esports player also received the title of Best Female Streamer for 2020 and 2021.
Najd Fahad
Who is she: Najd Fahad is a notable name in the women’s FIFA tournaments. She previously made headlines when she became the first Saudi woman to win an e-football title at the FISU eSports Challenge’s female tournament in 2020. In another world first, she also bagged the title of the first Saudi woman to win a gold medal at the GCC Games.
Zainab Turkie
Who is she: Zainab is a professional CS2 player for Imperial Esports, winning a number of titles in the US. Orignally from Lebanon and Sweden, this gamer has already got a World Championship under her belt. Prepare to see her name everywhere.
Esports World Cup 2024 is happening in Riyadh this summer, read all about it here.