Kazakhstan to host global Future Games in 2026 with $10 million prize pool
Over 1,500 athletes from 100 countries to compete in hybrid digital-physical sports tournament set for July 18 to August 1 in Astana
ASTANA, Kazakhstan (MNTV) — Kazakhstan will host the third edition of the Games of the Future in the summer of 2026, an international tournament that merges traditional athletic disciplines with digital gaming in a hybrid competition model.
Deputy Minister of Tourism and Sports Serik Zharasbayev confirmed that the event will take place in Astana from July 18 to August 1, with over 1,500 athletes from nearly 100 countries expected to participate.
The Games of the Future is held annually, with competitors earning scores based on combined performance across physical and digital formats. The inaugural edition took place in Kazan, Russia, in early 2024, while the second tournament is scheduled for December 2025 in the United Arab Emirates.
Kazakhstan’s edition in 2026 will include 13 disciplines ranging from traditional sports to high-tech competitions. Confirmed events include Phygital Football, Phygital Fighting, Phygital Basketball, Dancing, and Hockey, as well as tactical esports like Phygital Shooter and Battle Royale.
Drone Racing, MOBA team games, robot battles (Battle Bots), Phygital Boxing, and Cybathletics—where technology-enhanced athletes compete—round out the lineup.
The tournament is being organized by the government of Kazakhstan in partnership with Phygital International, which represents 98 countries.
Events will be held across top venues in the capital, including the Qazaqstan Sports Complex, Barys Ice Arena, Saryarka Velodrome, Zhekkpe-Zhek Martial Arts Palace, Alaou Ice Palace, Beeline Arena Tennis Center, and the Inclusive Sports Center.
The total prize pool for the tournament stands at $10 million. According to Alibek Khasenov, president of Kazsportinvest JSC, all funding—including prize money and organizational costs—will be provided through sponsorships. “Some disciplines will receive more than others, but the entire fund will be privately sourced,” he said.
Khasenov added that several Kazakhstani companies have already expressed interest in supporting the event. The 2024 Kazan edition reportedly attracted more than 3.5 billion digital views globally, underscoring the tournament’s growing visibility.
Kazakhstan was originally slated to host the second edition of the Games in 2025. However, following severe spring floods in 2024, the government postponed several high-profile events to focus on recovery. The Future Games were rescheduled for 2026 as part of that reprioritization.
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