Abu Dhabi to host Games of the Future this December [PODCAST]

Abu Dhabi will host the Games of the Future from December 17th to 23rd, introducing a new competition format that combines video gaming with live, on-field sport.

Speaking on the Yalla Sports podcast, Niccolo Nicotra, part of the organising team behind the event, explained that “phygital” competition brings together two familiar worlds. Athletes begin each contest on a digital platform before completing the second stage in a physical setting. The final result is based on the combined scores from both.

The Abu Dhabi edition will feature 11 disciplines, delivered in a multi-sport format similar to an Olympic-style programme. Athletes compete in one discipline only, such as football, basketball, shooting or fighting, but must perform in both digital and physical versions of that sport.

“The same player starts on the console and finishes on the pitch. That means they need to be strong in both environments.”

He used shooting as an example. Competitors begin in a gaming arena, playing on consoles in front of large screens, before moving into a custom-built physical space inside ADNEC. The second phase is staged as a laser-tag contest, designed with a desert-style look to reflect the UAE setting.

Alongside the phygital disciplines, the programme will also include technology-led competitions such as drone racing and robot battles. Nicotra said these events point towards how technology may shape sport in the years ahead.

He also referenced autonomous motorsport as another example, highlighting the Abu Dhabi Autonomous Racing League, where AI-controlled cars race at Yas Marina Circuit, sometimes alongside human drivers.

Nicotra said Abu Dhabi was chosen because of its infrastructure and experience hosting global events. The Games of the Future will take place at ADNEC, with around 80 per cent of the exhibition centre dedicated to the event.

The competition is club-based rather than nation-based. More than 50 countries will be represented through their clubs, with over 1,000 athletes expected to compete across the disciplines. Around 200 referees will also be involved.

Asked what success looks like, Nicotra outlined three priorities. First, delivering a smooth and memorable experience for athletes from arrival to departure. Second, creating a platform for international dialogue, with summits and round-table discussions running alongside the competition. Third, providing a family-friendly event that gives fans reasons to spend time at the venue beyond the main contests.

He acknowledged the challenges of building a new event with limited history, but said that also creates room to shape something from the ground up.

Nicotra said:

“Time is everything. Starting early is always the right decision with events of this scale.”

Summing up the Games of the Future, Nicotra chose three words: excitement, innovation and future.