SPORT: ASTANA TO HOST THE GAMES OF THE FUTURE!

The city of Astana in Kazakhstan is poised to become the global epicenter of next-generation sport. The Games of the Future will be held from July 29 to August 9, 2026, bringing together more than 900 athletes from over 50 countries to compete in hybrid disciplines blending physical sport and the digital world.

This world-class competition will take place in several of the city's major venues, including the Barys Arena, the Beeline Arena, the Qazaqstan Athletics Complex, the Alau Ice Palace, and the Ushkempirov Martial Arts Palace. More than 100,000 spectators are expected for this event, which has a total budget of $4.75 million.

 The 2026 Games of the Future will showcase eight disciplines divided into two main categories: phygital sports and esports. Confirmed phygital disciplines include phygital football, phygital basketball, phygital shooting, phygital dance, and Phygital Fighting, an event that combines digital strategy with physical combat.

On the esports side, organizers have announced competitions around the most popular games, including multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) games on PC and mobile, as well as Battle Royale, one of the most-watched formats worldwide.

For John Hewitt, Director of Global Marketing and Communications at Phygital International, Astana perfectly embodies the spirit of the competition: a young, connected, and innovative city.  For his part, Alibek Khassenov, director of the 2026 Games of the Future, emphasized Kazakhstan's pride in hosting the event and its ambition to strengthen its position in international sport.

Beyond the 2026 edition, Phygital International also launched the call for bids to host the 2028, 2029, and 2030 editions, with a deadline of August 1, 2026.

Following the 2025 edition held in Abu Dhabi, the Games of the Future are thus continuing their global expansion, confirming the rise of phygital sport, a new frontier between physical performance and digital technology.