Basketball Club Astana will take part in the Games of the Future 2025, which begin on 18 December in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates.
Back in July, Astana secured its place at the tournament by winning the national qualification stage held in Astana. Teams from across Kazakhstan competed for a single spot, but the capital club delivered a confident performance and earned the right to represent the country on the international stage in Abu Dhabi.
Kazakhstan and Astana will be represented by Ruslan Aitkali (team captain), Aset Amangeldinov, Sardal Abashidze, and Ruslan Vlasov. Notably, Vlasov joined the squad only recently, on 7 December. Since then, the team has been preparing intensively for a new challenge, as phygital 3x3 basketball is an entirely new discipline for the players.
The Games of the Future 2025 is a unique international event that brings together traditional sports and cutting-edge esports on one global stage. Athletes and gamers from around the world compete in hybrid disciplines that combine real-life physical performance with modern gaming technology, creating a fresh and dynamic format.
Phygital basketball, presented by M42, blends the excitement of digital gameplay with the intensity of real basketball. The competition unfolds across two connected stages — a digital match followed by a physical game on the court — combining esports strategy with on-court skill.
During the digital stage, two players from each team compete in a basketball video game. Characters are selected one hour before the game begins. The match lasts 10 minutes or ends earlier if one team reaches 19 points. If a team scores 20 points, the score is recorded and the stage concludes. The final digital score is then carried over to the physical stage.
In the physical stage, two players from each team face off on a standard 3x3 court in a 2x2 format. The game starts with the score from the digital stage and continues until one team reaches 39 points or until seven minutes of stop-time have elapsed. If neither team reaches 39 points, the winner is decided by the higher score. In case of a tie after both stages, the match is settled by a free-throw shootout, with each team taking three shots in turn. If the tie remains, shooting continues until a winner is determined, with all eligible players required to take a shot before anyone repeats.
We wish our team the best of luck in Abu Dhabi!
 «Samruk-Kazyna» National Welfare Fund |
 Uniform operator «Tourism Industry and Sports Support Fund» |
