Esports organization based in Saudi Arabia Team Falcons has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Riyadh-based anime and manga company Manga Productions.

Financial terms and duration of this new partnership were not disclosed.

Although the announcement is rather vague, the MoU stipulates that Team Falcons will enter into a strategic partnership with the company to collaborate on marketing strategies, develop creative campaigns and generally increase brand awareness and market presence for Manga Productions’ products. We expect many of these efforts will focus on raising awareness among fans and consumers in the Middle East and North Africa. However, we expect the brand to gain some exposure when Team Falcons competes on the international stage (which is often) and through its social media platforms.

Manga Productions is a division of the Saudi government’s Mohammed bin Salman Foundation (Misk) and develops anime, gaming and manga content for consumers in the Middle East. The company strives to create content that appeals to its regional audience and embraces Saudi culture and history, while also licensing gaming and anime content from other regions for local audiences.

Team Falcons is the leading esports organization in Saudi Arabia, currently competing in Rocket League, Counter-Strike 2, Dota 2, Overwatch 2, EA Sports FC 24, Call of Duty League, Valorant, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, PUBG and Call of Duty Warzone and more. Sponsors include STC Group and Kudu Saudi Arabia. In August, it was crowned the first Esports World Cup champion after eight weeks of competition in Riyadh.

Manga Productions is owned by Misk Foundation, “a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting and promoting learning and youth skills development for a better future of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” founded by His Royal Highness Crown Prince Prince Mohammed Bin Salman.

Projects and companies supported by the Saudi government are often criticized for being used to engage in “sportswashing” or using entertainment to promote the country’s record on human rights, women’s rights, LGTBQ+ rights, military actions in Yemen and more to cover up. These and other criticisms have been highlighted by international watchdog groups such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.