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Friday, 12th of December 2025
TV News Advisory: The Games of the Future
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What are the Games of the Future?
The Games of the Future (GOTF) is an annual international sporting event where physical sports meet the digital gaming world in a new format called ‘phygital sports’. Top athletes and elite gamers from around the world compete across various sporting disciplines, aiming for glory and a multimillion-dollar prize fund. This international tournament celebrates inclusivity and innovation, offering a unique and open arena for competitors and audiences alike. The Games of the Future is redefining the sports and gaming landscape, blending physical excellence and cutting-edge technology on a global stage.
What are the disciplines?
There are several categories of competitions that are included in the Games of the Future:
- Phygital Sports – Digital meets physical in the ultimate crossover. Clubs first compete in a video game and then transition to its real-world counterpart. For example, in Phygital Football, the event begins with a digital round where participants face off in a football simulator, followed by a second round of traditional football on the field. The disciplines at the Games of the Future 2025 will include Phygital Basketball, Phygital Football, Phygital Shooter, Phygital Dancing, and many more.
- Esports – Gaming at its most competitive. These match-ups demand next level skills and nerves of steel as players battle for supremacy in front of a live crowd in the arena and thousands watching around the world.
- Tech Sports – Perfect for tech enthusiasts and adrenaline seekers, this is where innovation and excitement collide. From high-speed drones to epic robot battles, these state-of-the-art disciplines push the boundaries of what sport can be.
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How do clubs reach the Games of the Future?
Qualifying tournaments, called Phygital Origins and Phygital Rivals, occur where clubs participate in country-specific events to win ranking points. These lead onto further competitions for the chance to compete at the Games of the Future.
Phygital Origins: A series of tournaments, each of which is held in a certain territory within a country (city, province, district, region, etc.).
Phygital Rivals: All the Phygital Origins winners within a country then compete against each other at a national level. The two clubs with the most ranking points globally directly qualify for the Games of the Future. Phygital Origins and Phygital Rivals are overseen by the World Phygital Community (see below).
Phygital Contenders: This the tournament where the 3rd to 26th best-ranked Phygital Rivals clubs compete against each other to qualify for a place at the Games of the Future. The top four clubs go through.
Games of the Future: The main event where the best meets the best. The top clubs will compete against each other to be crowned ultimate champions. Both the Phygital Rivals and the Games of the Future are overseen by Phygital International (see below).
Key Stats and figures from the Games of the Future 2024
The inaugural Games of the Future event attracted over 300,000 visitors and reached a staggering 3.2 billion IPSOS verified cross-platform views. The prize pool for the competition stood at an impressive $10 million. These numbers emphasize the global scale and increasing popularity of phygital sports.
- 3.2 billion IPSOS verified cross-platform views
- 300 000+ Visitors
- 850,00+ Website users
- 800+ Hours of live broadcast
- 280+ Broadcast channels
- Audience: 61% under the age of 34 & 82% under 44.
- 2000+ Volunteers from 20 countries
- 2000+ Participants from 116 Nations
- $10M Prize money
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When and where are the next Games of the Future taking place?
2025: The next Games of the Future will take place December 18-23, 2025, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
2026: Looking ahead, the Games of the Future 2026 has been announced and will be hosted in July in Astana, Kazakhstan.
World Phygital Community
Established in 2023 and based in Hong Kong, the World Phygital Community (WPC) is a non-profit organization whose members are dedicated to developing and promoting phygital sports within their respective regions. WPC members oversee the Phygital Origins and Phygital Rivals tournaments, through which teams can qualify to take part in the Games of the Future. WPC members also spearhead phygital tournaments in schools, universities, and local communities, creating new opportunities for the next generation of athletes. They not only host events but also drive awareness, encourage participation, and integrate phygital sports into mainstream culture, ensuring its continued growth.
To learn more about the WPC, go to Link.
Phygital International
Phygital International (PI) is the governing body of the phygital sports movement and the official custodian and rights holder of the annual Games of the Future tournament. It manages the bidding process for GOTF host cities and collaborates with hosts to deliver a sporting spectacular that attracts thousands of fans and competitors and appeals to a global broadcast audience. Through its innovation hub The PI Lab, the organization explores the latest technology and assesses new proposals in multiple areas including phygital competitions, technology, broadcasting, and communications. PI’s team of experts combines decades of experience in sports, technology, and event management.
To learn more about PI, go to Link
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Text & Photo Credits: Phygital International
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TV broadcasters: ICARUS Sports’ output from the Games of the Future will be uploaded on ICARUS Sports SERVER on 17th – 23rd of December.
Please find here the link in order to register and use our server:
http://portal.icarus-sports.com/
As long as you register, you will get access to our folder with the Events 2025.
Subfolder: Games of the Future
Please note that the direct download links might not work with all browsers such as Google Chrome. You may use an alternative browser such as Mozilla Firefox, alternatively visit the ICARUS Sports server directly to access our content.
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Notes to Editors | About ICARUS Sports
ICARUS Sports stands out as a leading Sports Media company, with a dynamic portfolio that spans over 200 international events annually and delivers more than 2,800 hours of filmed content. The company specializes in producing original in-house TV shows, including The Sports Rundown, The Outdoor Sports Show, Gearing Up, Inside Sailing &Sailing to the Games – LA Edition and more than 100 documentaries per year. With a robust media distribution network reaching over 160 countries, ICARUS Sports collaborates with some of the most prominent global broadcasters. Its end-to-end media services encompass high-quality video production, strategic media distribution, and impactful brand promotion.
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