The phygital competition system: Origins, Rivals, Contenders and Games of the Future

The WPC system has four core levels: Origins, Rivals, Contenders and the Games of the Future.

Phygital Origins are local or regional tournaments within a country. They are organised by WPC members and provide an entry-level competitive platform for clubs joining the system.

Phygital Rivals are national competitions. They represent a higher domestic level and are important for club rankings and the next international stage. A WPC member generally organises one Rivals tournament per discipline during a season.

Phygital Contenders are international qualification tournaments. Clubs that have not secured direct qualification through the rankings can compete there for places at the Games of the Future.

The Games of the Future are the final global event of the phygital season. They bring together clubs that qualified through rankings, Contenders, host positions or special invitations provided for in the season regulations.

Origins and Rivals are not the same type of tournament. Origins serve the local and regional level, while Rivals are national events within the WPC system.

By competing at these tournaments, a club builds results for its season and may become eligible for the rankings. The WPC does not assess club results alone: the official system also considers the quality of verified tournaments organised by the WPC member.

The rankings are therefore not a simple list of wins and losses. The rules for each season determine which results count, how tournaments are assessed and which clubs receive places at the next level.

Phygital Contenders bring together clubs from different countries competing for a place at the Games of the Future. They are international tournaments, not extensions of one national championship.

Contenders are particularly important for clubs that did not secure direct qualification through the WPC rankings. Success at a Contenders event can open a place at the Games of the Future, but the number of available places and the qualification process are announced separately for each edition.

KK Nitui competed in phygital basketball at Phygital Contenders Astana 2026. The Zagrebački mališani Nitui team won the tournament and qualified for the Games of the Future 2026.

The Games of the Future are the world phygital championship. The programme includes several phygital disciplines, and phygital basketball is one of the WPC system’s core ranking disciplines.

Competing at the Games of the Future is different from taking part in a local or national tournament. A club must meet the qualification requirements that apply to the specific season and discipline.

Sixteen clubs competed in phygital basketball at the Games of the Future 2026. Some places were filled through rankings and Contenders, while others were allocated through host positions and special invitations under the season rules.

The WPC publishes rankings of clubs and members for each season. The rankings are connected to verified Origins and Rivals tournaments, club results and tournament-quality criteria.

A ranking position can be important for direct qualification or for determining which clubs advance to Contenders. However, a ranking position alone is not enough without reading the regulations of the specific season: the number of direct places, invitation allocation and Contenders structure may change.

Following Phygital Contenders Astana 2026, ZM NITUI was ranked second in the WPC global phygital basketball standings for qualification to the Games of the Future 2026.

Phygital basketball is generally played in an open category from the age of 16, and the format is open to female and male athletes.

The WPC pathway to the Games of the Future does not use a universal split into separate men’s and women’s professional series, as is the case in some other sports. Categories, age limits and eligibility requirements for each tournament are published by its organiser.

A local or national event may therefore have additional categories, but these should not automatically be treated as part of the international qualification pathway.

Before entering a phygital tournament, a club should check:

For the match rules, read Phygital basketball rules. For an introduction to the format, read What is phygital basketball?.

This guide simplifies the competition system to provide a clear starting point. Calendars, the number of places, rankings, entry conditions and qualification rules can change between seasons and events. For complete and current information, use official WPC and Games of the Future sources.