Games of the Future 2026: Kazakh phygital football players name major rivals

Nuralem Baidulla, an amateur footballer from the Aktobe region; Alisher Mukanali, an esports player from Uralsk; and Talgat Utebergenov from the Mangystau region appeared as guests on the TV program.

Baidulla said the team has reached its current level thanks to experience gained from several international tournaments.

"I've been doing esports for three years. I first saw Kazakhstan's team at the BRICS Games in Kazan and became interested. I started playing cyberfootball, then we won the Kazakhstan Championship and later became winners of the Contenders tournament," Nuralem Baidulla said.

The team applied their experience in preparing for the Games of the Future, conducting tactical and physical training simultaneously, and practicing every stage of the game.

Preparation went beyond training. The athletes played a friendly match and studied the playing style of future opponents.

"I'm a professional footballer. We played a friendly match a week ago and trained again yesterday. We're also analyzing other teams. Our first opponent is Brazil. A total of 16 teams are competing. Coaches are currently developing a game plan, and we'll follow it," Baidulla said.

According to the athletes, Spain and Mexico are the main favorites of the tournament. They are also confident that Kazakhstan's cyberfootball potential continues to grow.

"In the future, Kazakhstan can raise well-known esports players," the team members said.

Qazinform News Agency reported earlier that President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev opened the Games of the Future 2026 in Astana. The ceremony marked the official start of the international tournament, which runs from July 29 to August 9.