The Games of the Future Astana 2026 has crowned its first two champions as the tournament reaches its halfway point.
Armenia-based Wilders are the new champions of Phygital Basketball presented by Halyk Fund. They defeated last year’s winners LIGO PRO TEAM in an exhilarating final at the Qazaqstan Sports Complex in the Kazakhstani capital.
Earlier, 17 Gaming from China saw off 15 rival teams to win Battle Royale PUBG: Battlegrounds presented by Alatau City Bank at Beeline Area, following three days of tense and unpredictable gameplay.
The two finals follow six days of competition that has also seen action in MOBA PC Dota 2 presented by CenterCredit, which has just entered its quarterfinal stages. Before the tournament ends on Sunday 9 August, trophies will be awarded in several more disciplines including:
- Phygital Football UFL presented by Samruk-Kazyna
- Phygital Shooter CS2 presented by Yandex Go
- Phygital Fighting presented by Kazzinc
- Phygital Dancing presented by Solidcore Resources
- MOBA Mobile MLBB presented by Freedom
Over the opening six days, thousands of fans have witnessed elite competition across both esports and phygital sport, showcasing the unique format that continues to bring together digital mastery and physical performance on one global stage.
17 Gaming claims Battle Royale PUBG: Battlegrounds title
Battle Royale PUBG: Battlegrounds delivered one of the most unpredictable competitions of the tournament so far, with the leaderboard changing throughout three days of intense action.
After entering the final day with a narrow advantage, 17 Gaming maintained their composure under pressure to secure the championship and become the first winners of the Games of the Future Astana 2026 powered by Samruk-Kazyna.
GAM The Expendables finished in second place, while Team Vitality completed the podium after consistently challenging throughout the tournament.
Wilders take the Phygital Basketball trophy after thrilling competition
Phygital Basketball once again demonstrated why it remains one of the flagship disciplines of the Games of the Future.
Across six days of competition, clubs from around the world produced an exceptional standard of play, with every match combining tactical esports performances with high-intensity physical basketball. Close scorelines, dramatic comebacks and fiercely contested physical stages highlighted the growing quality and depth of the global phygital ecosystem.
In the final, Wilders produced an outstanding all-round performance to lift the trophy after a gripping final against reigning champions and tournament favorites LIGA PRO TEAM. Earlier in the day, Dangerous defeated Triada to claim third place in another thrilling match that was only decided in the final five seconds.
The games continue
Speaking as the Games of the Future reached the halfway point, Dan Merkley, CEO of Phygital International, said: “The first six days of competition have demonstrated exactly what the Games of the Future were created to achieve. We’ve seen world-class competition, passionate fans and an outstanding standard across both esports and phygital disciplines. Congratulations to our first champions, who have set an incredibly high benchmark for the rest of the tournament. With several marquee disciplines still to come, we’re looking forward to an exciting second week as more athletes, clubs and fans experience the future of sport.”
Fans around the world can watch every match live on Phygital+, the official streaming platform of the Games of the Future. Alongside Phygital+, GOTF will also be broadcast by leading media partners around the world, including Fox Sports Mexico (Mexico), StarTimes (Africa), BIGG TV (France/Worldwide), ESR TV (USA/Worldwide), Play TV (Brazil), Unbeaten (Australia) and QazSport (Kazakhstan).
