Dmitry Chernyshenko took part in the opening ceremony of the Games of the Future 2026 international multisport tournament in Astana
Dmitry Chernyshenko took part in the opening ceremony of the Games of the Future 2026 international multisport tournament in Astana
Dmitry Chernyshenko took part in the opening ceremony of the Games of the Future 2026 international multisport tournament in Astana
Dmitry Chernyshenko took part in the opening ceremony of the Games of the Future 2026 international multisport tournament in Astana
Minister of Sport Mikhail Degtyarev at the opening ceremony of the Games of the Future 2026 international multisport tournament in Astana
Phygital basketball competitions in Astana
Dmitry Chernyshenko took part in the opening ceremony of the Games of the Future 2026 international multisport tournament in Astana
The official opening ceremony of the Games of the Future 2026 international multisport tournament took place in Astana. Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko attended the ceremony. During his working visit, he also inspected the competition venues and observed the phygital basketball match between clubs Vozdovac (Serbia) and Triada (Russia).
President Vladimir Putin addressed the participants and guests of the Games. The competition was officially launched by President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. Also present at the official opening ceremony were President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, President of the Kyrgyz Republic Sadyr Japarov, and President of the Republic of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon.
“This unique sport event fuses sport and innovation, physical and intellectual achievement. Their primary mission is to foster the well-rounded development of people who embrace the future, are open to innovation, and confidently harness cutting-edge technologies – those who value knowledge and are committed to continuous self-improvement. I am confident that, over time, the number of disciplines included in the Games programme – and in phygital sports as a whole – will continue to grow, along with their popularity. Russia is one of the world’s leading sporting nations, the birthplace of great athletes, records, and victories. We are proud that our country stood at the forefront of the phygital movement and, of course, are creating every possible condition for the further development of this sport,” affirmed President of Russia Vladimir Putin in his address to the participants and guests of the Games.
Also taking part in the events were Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to Kazakhstan Alexei Borodavkin, Minister of Sport and Chairman of the Olympic Committee of Russia Mikhail Degtyarev, and President of the International Boxing Association Umar Kremlev.
Dmitry Chernyshenko, who chaired the Organising Committee of the 22nd Winter Olympic Games and the 11th Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi in 2014, spoke about phygital sport, which is actively developing across the country.
“The Games of the Future, first held in 2024 in Kazan in line with the decision of our President Vladimir Putin, have launched a new international movement that did not exist previously. This was Russia’s gift to the entire world – it unites digital and physical sport. It should be noted that the international movement is developing – more than 120 countries regularly hold competitions in these sports. We observe excellent infrastructure, the most modern venues and tremendous engagement from young people. New standards are being set in Astana, new benchmarks are being established for the development of one of the most powerful digital sports movements,” emphasised the Deputy Prime Minister.
It is worth noting that Russia currently has 37 phygital centres, and phygital sport itself is being integrated into educational programmes. For example, a pilot programme introducing digital disciplines has been launched in 59 Russian schools.
Dmitry Chernyshenko thanked President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev for organising the Games of the Future 2026 in Kazakhstan. He inspected the venue for the Games of the Future 2026, including the competition areas and a mobile television broadcasting station. The Deputy Prime Minister paid particular attention to the work of the volunteers.
Teams from Russia have participated in qualifying tournaments for the Games throughout the entire season, with the key stage being the Phygital Games in Nizhny Novgorod. The country is represented at the tournament in Astana by phygital clubs and athletes who qualified through the World Phygital Community ranking and qualification competitions of the 2025/2026 season.
In the phygital shooter discipline, the Liga Pro Team is competing for the main trophy; on the phygital football pitch, the FFK Rotor Ciss club is participating; and in phygital dance, Konstantin Fominykh, who secured first place at the Phygital Games 2025, has received a direct quota for the Games of the Future 2026. Based on the results of the international qualification event, Phygital Contenders Astana 2026, the Triada phygital basketball club earned a place at the Games of the Future 2026. Also taking part in the tournament are two-time winners of the Games of the Future: the Liga Pro Team phygital basketball club and phygital dancer Ivan Vlasov.
Russian athletes will compete for victory in all eight disciplines: phygital basketball, phygital football, phygital shooters, phygital dance, phygital martial arts, MOBA PC, MOBA Mobile, and Battle Royale.
“From the very beginning, these Games have been and remain free from political opportunism, any form of discrimination, and double standards. It is important that the geography of the Games is expanding. This year, they are being hosted by the vibrant, modern, and dynamically growing Astana, which has taken the baton from Abu Dhabi, the hosts of last year’s competition. For Russia, it is important to preserve and develop the legacy of the Games of the Future. We continue to support innovative sports, enhance the phygital movement and deepen international cooperation,” remarked Minister of Sport of Russia Mikhail Degtyarev.
Notably, the Games of the Future 2026 (GOTF 2026) is the largest international multisport tournament in the world of phygital sport, held on the initiative of President of Russia Vladimir Putin. It unites digital and physical activities into a unified competitive ecosystem. This year, the tournament is taking place in Astana from 29 July to 9 August. In 2025, the Games of the Future were held in Abu Dhabi. It is anticipated that, this year, over 800 individuals – representatives of more than 50 nationalities, united in international clubs – will participate in the competitions in Kazakhstan.
A cultural programme is also being held as part of the Games of the Future. For example, the National Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan hosted the official opening of the exhibition From Athens to Astana: Olympic Artefacts from Vladimir Potanin’s Collection. The exhibition is timed to coincide with the 130th anniversary of the first Olympic Games of the modern era. Dedicated to the contribution of Russia and Kazakhstan to the development of the global Olympic movement, the exhibition features 140 authentic artefacts: award and commemorative medals from the Games starting in 1896, Olympic torches, and diplomas. Visitors may also view items of personal equipment belonging to outstanding athletes from the collections of the National Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The exhibition will run until 30 September 2026.
