Phygital Sports Alliance Formed As UAE Ministry Of Sports Signs MoU With ASPIRE And Phygital International

The Ministry of Sports has entered a Memorandum of Understanding with ASPIRE and Phygital International during the Phygital Sports Summit in Abu Dhabi, held alongside Games of the Future 2025. The non-binding agreement sets out joint intentions to develop phygital sports in the UAE, align projects with national strategies, and use the Games of the Future as a base for long-term legacy programmes.

The MoU outlines potential cooperation on recurring international editions of the Games of the Future in the UAE, an annual summit on future sport governance and innovation, and a national network of phygital centres. These centres are planned to support youth programmes, referee training, community tournaments, and qualifying events, while also creating clear athlete pathways linked to future sports.

Another central element of the MoU is the planned HITS Hub, or High Innovative Tech Sports, which will act as a research and innovation base for phygital sports technologies. The hub is expected to help test new disciplines, support intellectual property creation, and serve as an operational platform for future Games of the Future events and related competitions hosted in the UAE.

Under the MoU, ASPIRE is tasked with steering overall coordination at national level, using its position within the ATRC innovation ecosystem to embed phygital sports into long-term programmes. Phygital International will contribute its Games of the Future intellectual property, technical standards, and specialist knowledge, while overseeing global alignment of formats. The Ministry of Sports will ensure consistency with national policy and athlete development systems.

Sheikh Suhail bin Butti Al Maktoum, Assistant Under-Secretary for the Sports Development and Competitiveness Sector at the Ministry of Sports, signed the agreement on behalf of the ministry. Sheikh Suhail bin Butti Al Maktoum said, "This MoU builds on the success of the Games of the Future 2025 hosted by Abu Dhabi, supported by our wise leadership. It reflects our vision at the Ministry of Sports to establish an integrated and sustainable framework for phygital sports that combines innovation, technology, and structured athlete development pathways."

Sheikh Suhail bin Butti Al Maktoum further stressed that the agreement is intended to support national strategies across several fields. He added, "Through these strategic partnerships, we aim to reinforce the UAE’s global standing in future sports by aligning phygital initiatives with the National Sports Strategy 2031, enhancing innovation, empowering youth, and strengthening international cooperation across the phygital sports ecosystem."

ASPIRE’s CEO Stephane Timpano described how the partnership connects technology, athletic performance, and human potential to shape future sport structures. Stephane Timpano commented, "This partnership is about institutionalising the future of sport. By combining technology, performance, and human potential, and building on the momentum of the Games of the Future 2025, the UAE is positioning itself as a global testbed for next-generation sports and talent development - and signing with the Ministry of Sport represents the next level of progress".

Phygital International CEO Nis Hatt highlighted the shared vision behind the three-way agreement. Nis Hatt stated, "This collaboration reflects our shared belief that the future of sport lies at the intersection of physical performance, digital innovation, and human potential. By working alongside ASPIRE and the UAE Ministry of Sport, we are strengthening a global phygital ecosystem that advances innovation, nurtures emerging talent, and supports the sustainable growth of phygital sport worldwide."

The Phygital Sports Summit in Abu Dhabi, held in parallel with Games of the Future 2025, gathered experts, athletes, innovators, and decision-makers from inside and outside the UAE. Participants addressed how phygital sports could evolve, how governance models might adapt, and how new formats could fit within national systems, including youth development and community engagement structures.

By setting a clear cooperation framework, the MoU gives the Ministry of Sports, ASPIRE, and Phygital International a shared reference for future work on phygital sports. The agreement links upcoming events, talent pipelines, research hubs, and governance discussions, reinforcing the UAE’s plans to host regular Games of the Future editions while embedding phygital disciplines into the wider national sports ecosystem.

With inputs from WAM