Phygital International, the organisation that runs and owns the rights to the Games of the Future (GOTF), announced that China-based cloud service provider Alibaba Cloud will serve as the Official Cloud Infrastructure Partner for the 2026 and 2027 editions of the event.
For the 2026 Games, taking place in Astana, Kazakhstan, Alibaba Cloud will supply the core cloud infrastructure that keeps the event running while hosting the central broadcast content library, so broadcasters around the world can log in and pull footage safely.
In return for its role, Alibaba Cloud will be recognised as the event’s Official Cloud Infrastructure Partner, with branding visibility and integration into the broadcast during the 2026 Games.
Phygital International also confirmed that Alibaba Cloud’s role expands even further starting with the 2027 GOTF edition. The company will take on managing global media rights distribution, meaning it will help get live coverage of the Games out to broadcast partners across the world.
Spencer Fields, Commercial Director at Phygital International, said, “Technology sits at the heart of phygital sport, making world-class digital infrastructure essential to delivering the Games of the Future on a global stage. Alibaba Cloud’s expertise will help ensure that fans, broadcasters and partners around the world can experience Games of the Future Astana 2026 through reliable, secure and scalable technology. As the event continues to grow internationally, partnerships like this play an important role in building the foundation for the future of sport.”
Eric Wan, Vice President of International Business, General Manager of Middle East, Turkey and the Central Asia, Alibaba Cloud Intelligence said, “The Games of the Future represents a bold new frontier where physical athleticism and digital competition converge — and that demands infrastructure built for both scale and speed. Alibaba Cloud is proud to bring our global cloud network, AI capabilities and deep expertise in live-event broadcasting to support Phygital International’s vision. From secure media asset management to real-time content delivery across continents, our technology will help bring the excitement of the Games to fans and broadcasters worldwide, no matter where they are.”
Games of the Future is built around “phygital sports,” a format that blends traditional physical sports with esports. Athletes compete in two stages, first in a video game version of a sport, then in the real-life physical version, and their combined scores from both stages decide who wins. For instance, in Phygital Basketball, teams first face off in a basketball video game where they play to rack up virtual points. Then the same athletes step onto a real-life basketball court to compete in the physical version of the sport.
The 2026 edition will feature a total of a $4.75 million prize pool and includes well-known esports titles like Dota 2, Counter-Strike, and PUBG. Several of the world’s leading esports organisations are set to compete at the Games of the Future 2026, including Team Vitality, Team Falcons, T1, Twisted Minds, and Virtus.pro.
The Games of the Future 2026 has no shortage of corporate backing. Alongside Alibaba Cloud, Phygital International has roped in a handful of Kazakhstani businesses, covering sectors like construction, banking, and financial services, to come on board as sponsors and partners for the event.
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