The world’s leading next-generation sports tournament heads to Astana from 29 July to 9 August 2026, bringing together elite athletes and gamers to compete across groundbreaking hybrid disciplines.
DUBAI, UAE, March 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Phygital International, promoter and rights holder of the Games of the Future (GOTF), has officially confirmed that the Games of the Future 2026 will take place in Astana, Kazakhstan, from 29 July to 9 August 2026, bringing together the world’s leading phygital athletes for 12 days of elite competition that uniquely blends physical sport and digital gameplay.
Staged at key venues across the city, including, Barys Arena,Beeline Arena, the Athletics Sports Complex “Qazaqstan”, Alau Ice Palace, and the Ushkempirov Martial Arts Palace, the Games of the Future 2026 (GOTF 2026) is expected to welcome more than 900 athletes from over 50 nationalities, all battling for a share of a confirmed ~$~4.75m prize pool in front of an audience of more than 100,000 fans.
The Games of the Future 2026 will span eight disciplines across two key categories: phygital sports, where competitors face off across both physical and digital rounds; and esports, featuring some of the most globally popular game titles.
In the phygital sports category, confirmed returning crowd favorites include Phygital Football, Phygital Basketball, Phygital Shooter and Phygital Dancing. Also returning is Phygital Fighting, another fan favorite, combining tactical gameplay with high-intensity physical combat.
Fans will also once again be able to witness thrilling esports action with multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) taking center stage across both PC and mobile. Completing the lineup, the Battle Royale discipline will showcase one of the world’s most recognized and widely followed gaming formats.
“Astana is the perfect stage for the next chapter of The Games of the Future. Kazakhstan has a deep sporting culture and a young, digitally-connected population that embodies exactly what phygital competition stands for. We are building a truly global movement, and 2026 is another step in establishing phygital sport as a permanent fixture on the world sporting calendar” said John Hewitt, International Marketing & Communications Director at Phygital International.
Alibek Khassenov, Head of the Directorate of the Games of the Future 2026 added: “Kazakhstan is proud to host The Games of the Future 2026 and to welcome athletes and fans to Astana. This event reflects our commitment to positioning Kazakhstan as a destination for world-class international sports, and we look forward to delivering an unforgettable experience for all who attend.”
Looking beyond Astana, Phygital International has officially opened the host city bidding process for the 2028, 2029, and 2030 editions of The Games of the Future. Cities and nations with the vision, infrastructure, and commitment to deliver a world-class phygital event are invited to submit their interest by 1 August 2026.
To keep up to date with all the latest news on Games of the Future 2026 – including exciting new partnerships and the full line-up of events – visit the official website. Fans can also get a taste of what to expect and revisit all the action from Abu Dhabi on the official OTT platform: tv.gofuture.games
Notes to Editors:
About Phygital International (PI):
Phygital International is the promoter of phygital sports globally and is focused on innovating and redefining sports. It is the custodian and rights holder of the Games of the Future and oversees the bidding process for each host city.
For further information please visit https://Phygitalinternational.com or contact us at: press@phygitalinternational.com
About the Games of the Future (GOFT):
The Games of the Future is an annual international event that fuses the worlds of physical and digital and is the pinnacle of phygital sport. The tournament brings together the next generation of phygital sporting heroes from all over the world to compete in a diverse range of phygital disciplines and challenges. The Games of the Future 2025 were held in Abu Dhabi while the Games of the Future 2026, will be held in Astana.
For more information please visit: https://gofuture.games/
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SOURCE Phygital International
