Kazakhstan’s president starts countdown to Games of the Future 2026
The president of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, has officially launched the countdown to the Games of the Future 2026, set to take place in Astana from July 29-August 9.
In a ceremony at the prestigious Alem.ai International Center for Artificial Intelligence, President Tokayev started the official countdown clock to mark the beginning of the active preparation phase for one of the country’s most anticipated international events of 2026.
The event also saw a showcase for the main disciplines at this year’s spectacle and Tournament Director, Alibek Khasenov, also outlined the scale of what to expect. More than 900 participants from over 50 countries are expected to descend on Astana, with total attendance projected to top 100,000 spectators. A prize pool of over $4 million is on the table.
"Phygital is a fundamentally new format where athletes demonstrate their skills both in the digital environment and on a real-world stage," he said. "We are confident that the tournament in Astana will set a new standard for hosting international competitions."
Organizers say that staging such an important tournament reflects the country’s strategic focus on developing innovative sports and that Astana is more than ready to host. Before the main tournament, however, Astana will also stage the main qualifying event, Phygital Contenders, which will run from 10-14 June.