Games of the Future 2026: Kazakhstan eyes podium in several disciplines

During a press briefing at the Central Communications Service, the official outlined Kazakh athletes' chances at the international multisport tournament, which for the first time will take place in Astana from July 29 to August 9.

"We are opening a new chapter in the history of phygital sports in Kazakhstan," Khassenov said. "Our teams have delivered excellent results in previous Games. For instance, in the phygital shooter discipline, we won first place twice in a row. We hope to repeat that success. We are pinning our hopes on the Counter-Strike 2 discipline."

He also noted that the recent Phygital Contenders international tournament in Kazakhstan served as an important test for organizers, helping them explore all organizational aspects. The phygital football event featured over 16 teams, including strong sides from Brazil, Argentina, and Spain. Despite the tough competition, Kazakhstan's team – ACF x Allur – finished first, raising expectations for the Games of the Future.

Alibek Khassenov also highlighted that the basketball team Astana won bronze at the previous https://qazinform.com/tag/games-of-the-future-2026, having focused heavily on the digital stage. The team is well-positioned to compete for another podium finish.

In other disciplines, competition will also be strong as the world's best teams are coming to Astana. However, the speaker noted that in sports, anything can happen.

"We believe that playing on home soil and the support of the fans will give our teams an extra boost. The main goal is to reach the finals and compete for a podium finish," Khassenov shared.

As Qazinform News Agency reported earlier, Kazakhstan will be represented by 11 teams and individual athletes at the Games of the Future 2026. The tournament is set to bring together over 800 athletes from more than 50 countries.