The Games of the Future Astana 2026 presented by SAMRUK-KAZYNA has officially started.
The tournament launched with a spectacular Opening Ceremony at Barys Arena, where H.E. Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, formally welcomed the international phygital community.
The ceremony celebrated Kazakhstan’s cultural heritage and future ambitions through a blend of immersive technology, artistic performances and world-class production. It also reflected the growing international profile of the Games of the Future – government representatives, leaders from sport and technology, partners and stakeholders from across the global phygital ecosystem attended the event.
Competition also got underway with the opening matches of Phygital Basketball presented by Halyk Fund. Battle Royale PUBG: Battlegrounds presented by Alatau City Bank and MOBA PC Dota 2 presented by CenterCredit will begin on 31 July, with the remaining disciplines commencing throughout the tournament across four world-class venues in Astana.
Speaking during the Opening Ceremony, Dan Merkley, CEO of Phygital International, said: “The Games of the Future Astana 2026 represent another major milestone for the global phygital movement. Over the coming days, the world’s best phygital athletes will compete across eight disciplines, showcasing the skill, innovation and sporting excellence that define this new era of sport. We are grateful to the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Local Organizing Committee and all our partners for bringing these Games to life. We look forward to welcoming the world to Astana for an unforgettable edition of the Games of the Future.”
The Games of the Future returns following the landmark 2025 edition in Abu Dhabi, which generated more than 461 million broadcast views and reached an estimated 137 million unique viewers worldwide, underlining the growing international demand for phygital sport.
The Games of the Future Astana 2026 runs until 9 August, with champions set to be crowned across all eight disciplines, bringing together more than 800 participants from over 50 nationalities
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).
