The Games of the Future (GOTF) 2026 will take centre stage in Astana, Kazakhstan from 18 July to 1 August, bringing together approximately 1,500 athletes to compete across 13 phygital disciplines in arenas across the city. For the World Phygital Community (WPC), the confirmation of dates and disciplines sets the stage for the upcoming ranked qualification season for GOTF 2026.
With a total prize fund of $10 million up for grabs, the confirmed discipline lineup at the Games of the Future 2026 will include Phygital Football, Phygital Basketball, Phygital Dancing, and Phygital Shooter- the four core disciplines that are played across the WPC tournament ecosystem. These will be joined by other disciplines that are currently outside the WPC ranked tournament ecosystem including Phygital Hockey, Phygital Fighting (MMA and Boxing), Cybathletics, and Drone Racing among others, further expanding the reach of phygital competition.
From 1 August to 15 December 2025, WPC members will host Phygital Origins and Phygital Rivals tournaments to determine the rankings of athletes and clubs for each of the core disciplines – the first stage for clubs to qualify for next year’s GOTF in Astana.
“The phygital format creates exciting new opportunities to engage talented youth in sports, aligning with the evolving expectations of the modern sports community. These innovative competition formats are shaping a dynamic and relevant agenda at the intersection of sports and technology”, emphasized Serik Zharasbayev, Vice Minister of Tourism of Kazakhstan.
Dan Merkley, Chairperson and Managing Director of the World Phygital Community, said: “The announcement of prize funds and disciplines has generated fresh anticipation among WPC members and participating clubs, each aiming for a place at the Games of the Future in Astana. With Phygital Origins and Phygital Rivals tournaments on the horizon, we look forward to welcoming fresh talent, active clubs, and growing domestic circuits across our global ecosystem.”
With the deadline to register tournaments fast approaching and qualification season set to begin in August, clubs across the WPC member network are beginning to prepare for the upcoming season to compete for a place at GOTF 2026. The coming months will spotlight the talent and their competitive spirit that will driving phygital sport forward next year. As the journey to Astana begins, the global phygital community comes together once again to shape the future of this rapidly evolving sport.
