The President of the Ghana Esports Federation (GESF), Mr. Igor Boumekpo, represented Ghana at the World Phygital Community (WPC) General Assembly and the Phygital Sports Summit 2026, held in Astana, Kazakhstan, as part of the opening program for the Games of the Future 2026.

The gathering brought together national and international esports federation presidents, government ministers, sports leaders, and technology executives from around the world to discuss the future of phygital sports a fast-growing format that fuses traditional physical competition with digital and esports disciplines.

Speaking on his participation, President Boumekpo described the moment as a turning point for the Global Esports movement. For decades, Esports has sought wider recognition and integration alongside traditional sport. The rise of phygital competition, he said, offers exactly that answer, bridging the physical and digital stages into a single, unified sporting experience.

From the physical stage to the digital stage, the community could not wait to embrace it. Phygital competition is the game changer our industry has been waiting for, President Boumekpo said.

The grand opening ceremony, held at Barys Arena in Astana, drew a high-level gathering of regional heads of state. Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev formally opened the Games of the Future 2026, welcoming   Shavkat Mirziyoyev ,President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Sadyr Japarov President of the Kyrgyz Republic, Emomali Rahmon President of Tajikistan, and Russian President Vladimir Putin, participated remotely via a special video message to athletes and organizers.

Ghana has been an active participant in the Phygital movement, having hosted its second national Phygital Football tournament earlier this year at the University of Ghana . GESF’s presence at the General Assembly further strengthens Ghana’s standing within the World Phygital Community and reinforces the Federation’s commitment to growing Esports and phygital sport across the country.

The Federation says it will continue working with national and international partners to expand opportunities for Ghanaian athletes and gamers within this emerging category of sport.

The Ghana Esports Federation (GESF) is the recognized national governing body for esports in Ghana, working to develop, regulate, and promote esports and phygital sport across the country.

Gesf Communication