Games of the Future 2025 rankings kick off for phygital sports combining digital and physical competitions

The in-country regional and national ranking tournaments for the Games of the Future 2025 are in full swing, setting the stage for a spectacular display of skill and innovation at next year’s Games. Hosted by the World Phygital Community (WPC), these ranking tournaments are taking place across the globe bringing together phygital clubs and enthusiasts for a chance to become both National Phygital Games champions and win an opportunity to progress to the next stage on the road to competing at The Games of the Future 2025, which is to be hosted by the United Arab Emirates in November 2025.

‘Phygital’ refers to disciplines that blend the physical and digital world. Promising a unique fusion of traditional sports and immersive gaming, phygital sports provide a competitive outlet for athletes to demonstrate skill, strategy, and creativity through disciplines such as:

• Phygital Football: Competitors start with a football simulator before moving onto the mini field for an intense live match.
• Phygital Basketball: Athletes test their abilities on a basketball simulator before facing off in a thrilling 2×2 court game.
• Phygital Shooter: Combining tactics and speed, participants score points in both a tactical shooter game and a live-action laser tag arena.
• Phygital Dancing: Contestants showcase their moves in a dancing simulator, with top scorers advancing to a final live showdown.

Running until 30 November, participating WPC members around the world are hosting in-country regional Phygital tournaments which are closely followed by National Phygital Games, which will continue until 30 January 2025. These tournaments are a key factor in the WPC ranking system and qualifying path that leads to places for clubs to compete in the pinnacle of the phygital sporting calendar, the Games of the Future 2025.

A phygital basketball player takes to the court

The in-country regional phygital tournaments provide a high energy display of athleticism and technology, featuring participants competing across a dynamic mix of phygital disciplines. Ranking in-country regional tournaments have already been completed in several countries, including the Serbia Phygital Basketball Tournament and Serbia Phygital Dance Tournament as well as the Cameroon Phygital Basketball Tournament and the Uzbekistan Phygital Dance, Phygital Basketball and Phygital Football Tournaments. In the coming weeks, other WPC member clubs from markets such as Qatar will begin their respective tournaments.

Competing in ranking tournaments goes beyond advancing to the next stage on the road to the Games of the Future; it fosters a global community united by a shared passion for innovation and inclusivity. Phygital has created a unique space that bridges physical and digital sports, bringing together athletes from diverse backgrounds to compete across both dimensions. As the phygital movement continues to grow, so does the WPC, close to 100 countries are already part of this ever-expanding global community.

For the WPC, ranking tournaments are not just about competition but about evolving the ever-growing arena of phygital sports. René Fasel, board director, World Phygital Community, commented: “Ranking tournaments are the proving grounds where breakout stars and future phygital champions are born. We’re witnessing the rise of a new breed of athletes, uniquely equipped to thrive in this hybrid realm of sports and gaming. From the high-octane energy of phygital football to the laser-focused precision of tactical shooter games, every challenge on the road to the Games of the Future brims with excitement and possibility.”

The Games of the Future takes place in November 2025 in the UAE.