• ESPORTS

• Sportsbeat Correspondent 8 months ago

Phygital Sports take center stage as Astana named 2026 host

Astana, the capital city of Kazakhstan, has officially been confirmed as the host for the 2026 edition of the Games of the Future. The global sporting event, which mixes physical sports with digital gaming, will take place from July 18 to August 1, 2026.

The announcement was made during a meeting with Kazakhstan’s Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov, followed by a press conference led by top sports officials. Among those present were Serik Zharasbayev, the Vice Minister of Tourism and Sports of Kazakhstan, Nis Hatt, CEO of Phygital International, and Alibek Khassenov, President of Kazsportinvest JSC.

The Games of the Future 2026 are expected to draw around 1,500 athletes from across the globe to compete in 13 exciting phygital disciplines. These include popular events like Phygital Football, Basketball, Dancing, and Shooter, as well as new formats for sports like Hockey and Fighting, which includes MMA and Boxing. In each sport, athletes will first compete in a digital version of the game before moving to the physical part. The final results will be based on the combined scores from both sections.

A $10 million prize pool will be up for grabs, making it one of the most lucrative events in the world of phygital sports. The tournament will also feature the “Games of the Future City” – a special program filled with fan zones, exhibitions, and tech-driven experiences aimed at the local community and global visitors.

Kazakhstan is aiming to use the Games to showcase its growing status as a hub for digital innovation and sport-tech. Vice Minister Serik Zharasbayev said the event will open up new doors for young people to take part in modern sports that blend physical talent with gaming. He believes the phygital format is the future and is helping to reshape the sports industry.

Nis Hatt, CEO of Phygital International, said Astana is the right place for this major event because it has good infrastructure, experience in hosting global sports events, and a strong interest in youth and technology. He praised the city’s forward-looking approach and said it will play a big role in growing phygital sport on a world level.

Kazakhstan was chosen to host the 2026 Games after a tough international bidding process led by the Phygital International Expert Committee in 2024. The responsibility of organizing the event now lies with Kazsportinvest JSC, a company with a strong record in managing large sports competitions, including the Asian Winter Games in 2011 and the Winter Universiade in 2017.

Alibek Khassenov of Kazsportinvest said the Games of the Future is a chance for Kazakhstan to help shape the future of global sports. He said the event has huge potential and will bring attention to the exciting changes happening in how the world views sports.

Although the 2026 edition in Astana is still a year away, excitement is already building. Before Astana takes the stage, the 2025 edition of the Games will be held in Abu Dhabi from December 18 to 23. The 2024 debut of the tournament impressed fans and athletes alike, and now all eyes are on Abu Dhabi to continue the momentum before handing it over to Astana.

The Games of the Future is organized by Phygital International and is supported by the World Phygital Community, which oversees the rules and rankings for the growing sport. As the Games head to Kazakhstan in 2026, a new chapter begins in the fast-evolving world of sports, where gaming and physical competition come together like never before.