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The 2026 Phygital Russian Championship will take place at Sirius
24.08.2026
A press conference dedicated to the 2026 Russian Phygital Sports Championship was held at TASS on 24 August.
Alexei Kireev, the Deputy General Director of the Russian Ice Hockey Federation (RIHF), participated in the event.
The competition will take place between the 21st and 25th of September at the Sirius Federal Territory. The program includes, among other events, a phygital ice hockey tournament combining both digital and physical play. In addition to the contests, gala matches and activities designed to introduce the public to phygital sports are also planned.
RIHF Deputy General Director Alexei Kireev:
"When discussing a traditional, classic sport like ice hockey, we all recognise the importance of keeping pace with current trends in today’s digital world. We have seen digital sports - or esports - attract a massive audience and fan base across recent years.
"Naturally, computer-based hockey is one of the most popular games globally. For us at the Russian Ice Hockey Federation, this community of players represents a potential target audience. If people enjoy playing hockey virtually, our next steps involve bringing them to the stadium to watch a national team or club match. Ideally, we want to inspire these fans to lace up their skates, grab a stick and head to a local rink or training arena to try their hand at real-life hockey.
"The "hockey combined event" (or "hockey duathlon") is a relatively new discipline - only a few years old - yet it has already garnered significant support from the Ministry of Sport and the Phygital Federation. We are seeing interest from fans, spectators, former players and young athletes alike. For us, this discipline serves as a bridge to that target audience, ultimately helping us draw new people into the sport of real, physical ice hockey.
"The competition itself consists of two stages: a digital phase followed by a physical phase on the ice. The final result is determined by the combined outcome of these two matches. Success requires not only proficiency in the video game but also physical readiness - and that is what matters most to us."
Alexei Kireev, the Deputy General Director of the Russian Ice Hockey Federation (RIHF), participated in the event.
The competition will take place between the 21st and 25th of September at the Sirius Federal Territory. The program includes, among other events, a phygital ice hockey tournament combining both digital and physical play. In addition to the contests, gala matches and activities designed to introduce the public to phygital sports are also planned.
RIHF Deputy General Director Alexei Kireev:
"When discussing a traditional, classic sport like ice hockey, we all recognise the importance of keeping pace with current trends in today’s digital world. We have seen digital sports - or esports - attract a massive audience and fan base across recent years.
"Naturally, computer-based hockey is one of the most popular games globally. For us at the Russian Ice Hockey Federation, this community of players represents a potential target audience. If people enjoy playing hockey virtually, our next steps involve bringing them to the stadium to watch a national team or club match. Ideally, we want to inspire these fans to lace up their skates, grab a stick and head to a local rink or training arena to try their hand at real-life hockey.
"The "hockey combined event" (or "hockey duathlon") is a relatively new discipline - only a few years old - yet it has already garnered significant support from the Ministry of Sport and the Phygital Federation. We are seeing interest from fans, spectators, former players and young athletes alike. For us, this discipline serves as a bridge to that target audience, ultimately helping us draw new people into the sport of real, physical ice hockey.
"The competition itself consists of two stages: a digital phase followed by a physical phase on the ice. The final result is determined by the combined outcome of these two matches. Success requires not only proficiency in the video game but also physical readiness - and that is what matters most to us."
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