Speaking here after an event attended by the Polish President Andrzej Duda, Arat, chair of the 2023 European Games’ Coordination Commission, told insidethegames: "I am sure that after this competition there will be a lot of countries who want to host the European Esports Championship, but we will continue for the second edition for the European Games.

"We will continue - we like it.

"The European Olympic Committees (EOC) had an agreement to host the Global Esports Federation (GEF) European Championships during the European Games, so it is our first try.

"And then Katowice, which is at the centre of e-games, with the universities, with the software, it was a fantastic place to start.

"We start in the heart of the European esports city.

"I think it is a great thing that we did today, because I think today was a very good start.

"We have started the European Games in Krakow, and now this is something new, and I am so happy about it, I tell you."

Earlier, Duda told the assembled gathering: "It was Katowice that saw the birth of the first great Polish gaming event.

"That happened in the 1990s when athletes competing here today were not even born.

"This has always been a city of very ambitious and hard-working people.

"And actually over those more than 20 years since that first event this city has seen an incredible development, an explosion of everything that is modern.

"The fact that this event is taking place here, for the first time in a European Games, is a kind of reward, a big prize, for the people living on this soil.

"A symbolic expression of this is the fact that esports is a sports discipline today accompanied by all the Olympic ideals - fair play, integrity but first and foremost novel competition of young people."

Kamil Bortniczuk, Minister of Sport and Tourism of Poland, expressed how "very satisfied" he was at the conjunction of what he called "two great sports events - the European Games and now the European Esports Championships" adding "we hope the two will now be inseparable."

The three-day event is set to feature 100 athletes from 28 countries competing across titles in Rocket League and eFootball 2023, although European Games medals will not be awarded to the winners.

Inspiration for the event came from the successful Commonwealth Esports Championships, held alongside the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, in August of last year.

Spyros Capralos, President of the EOC added: "Today is a very exciting day for EOC, for you the athletes, for sport, for Katowice, for Poland. 

"It is the first time the EOC has hosted an event like this.

"We are curious and interested to see how esports works in social context and the context of a multisport Games, and curiosity is what drives us to learn.

"Thank you to our partners GEF who have helped this opportunity.

"We want to come to an understanding of what drives young people and how we can help them develop new habits in a healthy way.

"I end with a reminder of Olympic values, which are universal values.

"We look forward to the excellence you will show in the following days."

Paul Foster, the GEF chief executive, added: "Today is a historic day for esports that will never be forgotten.

"Thank you for bringing our collective vision to life.

"Welcome, athletes, to first event of its kind.

"This is your moment. 

"This incredible stage has been designed for you.

"For the millions watching you have the possibility of becoming role models.

"Go for it."