Kazakhstan will host the third edition of the international Games of the Future tournament in the summer of 2026, blending traditional sports with their digital counterparts in a unique “phygital” format.
The event is scheduled to take place in Astana from July 18 to August 1, as announced by Deputy Minister of Tourism and Sports Serik Zharasbayev at a recent briefing, The Caspian Post reports citing foreign media.
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Games of the Future is an annual global competition where athletes compete in both physical and digital disciplines, with overall scores determined by performance in both categories.
The inaugural tournament was held in Kazan, Russia, in early 2024. The second edition is scheduled for December 2025 in the United Arab Emirates, while Kazakhstan will host the third installment in 2026.
Over 1,500 athletes from nearly 100 countries are expected to participate in the event, which will feature 13 phygital disciplines. Competitions will be held at several of Astana’s premier sports venues, including the Qazaqstan Sports Complex, Barys Ice Arena, Saryarka Velodrome, Zhekkpe-Zhek Martial Arts Palace, Alaou Ice Palace, Beeline Arena Tennis Center, and the Inclusive Sports Center.
The tournament is being organized by the government of Kazakhstan in partnership with Phygital International, a global organization representing 98 member countries.
Diverse Disciplines and Substantial Prize Pool
Disciplines confirmed for the 2026 tournament include: Phygital Football (soccer), Phygital Fighting (martial arts), Phygital Basketball, Phygital Dancing, Phygital Hockey, Phygital Shooter (tactical combat), Phygital Battle Royale (multiplayer battles), two MOBA disciplines (team esports games), Phygital Drone Racing, Battle Bots (robot battles), Phygital Boxing, and Cybathletics (competitions involving technology-enhanced athletes).
The total prize fund will amount to $10 million. According to Alibek Khasenov, president of Kazsportinvest JSC, “The funds will be distributed among the 13 disciplines, some will receive more, some less. All funding, including organizational costs and prize money, will be provided exclusively through sponsorship.”
Khasenov noted that several Kazakhstani companies have already shown interest in sponsoring the event. The first edition of the tournament in Kazan reportedly garnered over 3.5 billion views across digital platforms.
Rescheduled Due to Flood Recovery Efforts
Originally, Kazakhstan was set to host the second Games of the Future in 2025. However, in the aftermath of unprecedented spring floods in 2024, the government reprioritized spending to address recovery efforts.
As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, this led to the postponement of several high-cost and image-driven events, including the Future Games, which have now been rescheduled for 2026.
