Spain’s growing phygital ecosystem was in focus in Valencia as World Phygital Community (WPC) Chairperson and Managing Director Dan Merkley visited the city to engage with local partners and support the continued development of the sport across the country.
During the visit, Dan met with athletes, club representatives, institutional partners and local stakeholders – reinforcing the collaboration between WPC and Phygital Games Spain. The meetings highlighted Spain’s ongoing efforts to build a competitive infrastructure and prepare clubs for taking part in the global phygital calendar. Merkley’s visit coincided with Spain’s first ranked phygital tournaments in core disciplines at the Polytechnic University of Valencia.
The WPC head also toured the Roig Arena, the future home of basketball club Valencia Basket, where he met with representatives from the arena and the club to discuss the role phygital sport can play within established sporting institutions and major venues. The visit highlighted opportunities to integrate hybrid competition formats into professional club environments and large-scale sporting infrastructure.
Organized by Phygital Games Spain under the leadership of CEO Juan Anguix, the Valencia competitions brought together clubs from across the country and marked an important milestone in the development of Spain’s national phygital ecosystem.
Among the results, Noname secured the Phygital Football title, while Valencia Basket claimed victory in Phygital Basketball following strong performances across both stages of play.
Earlier this season, Luis Carlos Soto was crowned champion in Phygital Dancing , while Turtles Clan triumphed in Phygital Shooter after a closely contested tournament featuring eight teams – highlighting the growing depth of Spain’s phygital talent.
The Phygital Basketball competition also marked a milestone for inclusivity, with Valencia Femenino fielding the first women’s team to compete in a ranked phygital tournament in Spain. Their participation highlights the accessibility of the format and signals growing opportunities for women to take part in phygital competition.
The event builds on other development initiatives led by Phygital Games Spain, including a university programme at the Polytechnic University of Valencia. That scheme has already introduced more than 200 students to phygital sport through campus tournaments earlier this year, and helped create new pathways for participation and talent development.
Dan Merkley said: “Phygital sport is growing rapidly around the world, and what we are seeing in Spain reflects that global momentum. When members like Phygital Games Spain deliver competitions, introduce athletes to the format and build pathways through universities and grassroots initiatives, they are helping shape the future of sport. Moments like the participation of a women’s team in a ranked tournament also show how accessible the format can be and how it continues to open the door for more athletes to get involved.”
Clubs in Spain will now turn their focus toward the next stage of the global competition cycle as they await the updated phygital rankings due to be announced on 30 March. The rankings will determine which teams progress through Phygital Contenders – the international qualification pathway toward the Games of the Future 2026 in Astana, Kazakhstan – where the world’s top phygital clubs will compete for international glory and a share of the US$4.75 million prize pool.
