About 4 mln Kazakhstanis follow esports

According to him, Kazakh esports athletes have performed successfully at major international competitions, including the world and Asian championships.

He said hosting the Games of the Future 2026 in Astana would be an important step in promoting Kazakhstan as a modern venue for major international digital sports events. Over 800 athletes are expected to take part in the competition, which will feature eight disciplines.

Deputy Minister of Tourism and Sports Serik Zharasbayev said one of the key priorities is to encourage young people to take up traditional sports through the development of digital disciplines.

"Experts taking part in the summit will share their countries' experience, while we will study best practices and incorporate them into the development of phygital sports in Kazakhstan. We also have high expectations for our teams. At the previous Games in Abu Dhabi, Kazakh athletes delivered strong results, and we hope to repeat that success," he said.

More than 200 international experts are participating in the summit, including Phygital International CEO Dan Merkley. He said Astana has demonstrated a high level of readiness to host the Games of the Future 2026. He also noted that the phygital movement is now developing in 115 countries.

"Sports officials from different countries presented their proposals for developing this new sporting discipline. In particular, discussions focused on how esports can be used to increase young people's interest in traditional sports and promote the values of physical culture. We are pleased to see that Kazakhstan views traditional sports and esports as complementary rather than competing disciplines," Merkley said.

The Games of the Future 2026 will run in Astana from July 29 to August 9, bringing together over 800 athletes from more than 50 countries.

Earlier, it was reported that the President's TV and Radio Complex will cover The Games of the Future 2026 opening ceremony and key competitions.