17 Gaming Crowned PUBG Champions at Games of the Future 2026 in Astana
Images | Kazsportinvest
The PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS tournament at the international Games of the Future 2026 (GOTF 2026) powered by Samruk-Kazyna concluded in Astana, with the champion being decided only in the 15th and final match.
The competition brought together 16 of the world's top teams. 17 Gaming claimed the title with 131 points, while GAM The Expendables finished second on 120 points, and Team Vitality secured third place with 106 points.
Kazakhstan's DIGA Esports finished 14th with 59 points. One of the team's standout moments came in the eighth match, when it secured a victory that was met with a standing ovation from spectators at Beeline Arena.
The champions, 17 Gaming, received $300,000 in prize money. GAM The Expendables earned $120,000, while Team Vitality took home $100,000. Kazakhstan's DIGA Esports received $15,000.
"PUBG has a very promising future. More and more tournaments are being held this year, interest in the game continues to grow, and we hope to return and win another championship title for our fans. Our impressions of Astana are also excellent. It's very hot here, but the food is fantastic," the players of 17 Gaming said.
Team Vitality player Artyom Baskakov said the final day of the tournament proved to be the most challenging for his team.
"The third day was difficult because the placement of the play zones did not work in our favor. But we did everything we could to keep scoring points and ultimately finish among the top three. We stayed true to our style of play, looked for opportunities to engage in fights, remained composed, and communicated constantly within the team," he said.
According to DIGA Esports player Sanzhar Kaliyev, competing at the tournament was an invaluable experience for the Kazakh side.
"The other 15 teams here are among the best in the world, so the competition was extremely tough. Even so, I believe we delivered a solid performance, and it was a great honor for us to compete in such a prestigious event. We could hear and feel the support of the fans, and that meant a lot to us," he said.
Kaliyev added that for several members of the team, the tournament was their first experience at this level.
"The opening day was about adapting to the competition. We felt much more comfortable on the second day, and I think the third day went well. Some of our players had never even competed in major European tournaments before, yet here we were facing world champions. Finishing 14th against teams of this caliber is not a bad result," he said.
The Games of the Future 2026 are being held in Astana from July 29 to August 9. The event features eight competitive disciplines with a total prize pool of $4.65 million.
This information may not be reproduced without reference to Kazakhstan Today. Copyright of materials of News Agency Kazakhstan Today.
relevant news
Kazakhstan claims 12 gold medals on third day of World Nomad Games.
Images | MTS RK
Kazakhstan’s national team won 12 gold, seven silver and five bronze medals on the third day of competition at the VI World Nomad Games in Kyrgyzstan, according to the Kazakh Ministry of Tourism and Sports.
Kazakh athletes claimed two gold medals and one bronze in audaryspak. In the under-100kg category, world champion and two-time Games winner Syrym Izbasarov defeated his Kyrgyz opponent to become a World Nomad Games champion for the third time. Daryn Otkelbay won gold in the under-90kg category, while Nurzhan Yerkinuly took bronze in the super-heavyweight division.
Kazakhstan won another four medals in kusbegilik, the traditional art of hunting with birds of prey. Serikbolsyn Zhalgasuly took gold with his hawk Zhebe. Arman Koshkarov, competing with his golden eagle Algyr, and Bakdaulet Babazhan with his falcon Ushkyr won silver medals, while Yerlan Kenzhetayev and his bird Akbalyk took bronze.
In sambo, Bolat Sapar won gold in the over-98kg category, while Yerkebulan Nygmetov and Zhandos Beisenbayev claimed bronze medals. Almas Zhumagali won silver in the over-100kg category in Kyrgyz kurosh.
Kazakhstan also took gold in the 4×4 tug-of-war event, defeating Iran in the final. A day earlier, the Kazakh team won the 8×8 event after beating Kyrgyzstan in the final.
Kazakhstan’s arm-wrestling team delivered a particularly strong performance, winning seven gold, four silver and one bronze medal. Nurdaulet Aidarkhan and Medet Kuttymuratov each claimed two gold medals, winning with both their right and left arms. Malena Sydykzhan also won two gold medals, while Danil Ustinov added another gold.
On September 4, Kazakh athletes will compete in 21 sports, including kokpar, kok-boru, alaman baige, Kazakh kuresi, togyzkumalak, zhamby atu, traditional archery, strongman and tazy racing.
The VI World Nomad Games have brought together 3,000 athletes from 113 countries. Kazakhstan is represented by 152 athletes competing across 43 sports.
This information may not be reproduced without reference to Kazakhstan Today. Copyright of materials of News Agency Kazakhstan Today.
Kazakhstan wins gold and silver in hunting with birds of prey at World Nomad Games
Images | CSPE of the MTS RK
Kazakhstan’s national team won two medals in traditional hunting with birds of prey at the VI World Nomad Games in Kyrgyzstan, the country’s Committee for Sports and Physical Culture said.
Kazakh athlete Serikbolsyn Zhalgasuly won gold in the hawk hunting competition, while Arman Koshkarov claimed silver in the golden eagle event.
The results marked another success for the Kazakh team and showcased the athletes’ skills in kusbegilik, the traditional art of hunting with trained birds of prey that has been passed down through generations.
This information may not be reproduced without reference to Kazakhstan Today. Copyright of materials of News Agency Kazakhstan Today.
Seven Kazakh Women Enter World’s Top 100 Chess Rankings
Images | Instagram/kzchessfederation
Seven Kazakh women have been ranked among the world’s top 100 female chess players in FIDE’s September rankings, the Kazakhstan Chess Federation’s press service said.
Grandmaster Bibisara Assaubayeva remains fifth in the world with a rating of 2536. International Master Alua Nurman is ranked 22nd with a rating of 2455, while IM Meruert Kamalidenova is 37th with a rating of 2413.
The top 100 also includes:
58th - WGM Ksenia Balabayeva - 2384;
77th - WGM Liya Kurmangaliyeva - 2361;
83rd - WGM Amina Kairbekova - 2355;
94th - WIM Yelnaz Kaliakhmet - 2347.
For Ksenia Balabayeva and Yelnaz Kaliakhmet, this is their first appearance in the top 100. Balabayeva, 20, gained 59 rating points in a month, rising from 2325 to 2384 and moving straight into 58th place.
Kaliakhmet, 15, increased her rating by 43 points, from 2304 to 2347, and took 94th place.
Other Kazakh female chess players also improved their positions: Alua Nurman moved up from 24th to 22nd place, while Meruert Kamalidenova climbed from 46th to 37th.
Bibisara Assaubayeva has been awarded Kazakhstan’s Order of Barys, Second Class.
This information may not be reproduced without reference to Kazakhstan Today. Copyright of materials of News Agency Kazakhstan Today.
Kazakhstan Wins First Two Gold Medals at World Nomad Games
Images | worldnomadgames.kz
Kazakhstan has won its first two gold medals at the 6th World Nomad Games in Kyrgyzstan, with both titles coming in audaryspak, the Kazakh Ministry of Tourism and Sports said.
"In the under-60kg category, Nurtalap Kerim defeated an athlete from Kyrgyzstan in the final to become champion. In the under-70kg category, Sailau Mukhamedzhan also faced a Kyrgyz competitor in the final and secured a 2-1 victory. These were Kazakhstan’s first gold medals at this year’s Games," the ministry’s press service said.
The 6th World Nomad Games opened in Bishkek on Tuesday.
Background
Audaryspak is a traditional Kazakh equestrian sport that requires strength, agility, speed and courage as competitors wrestle while on horseback. More than 11,500 people in Kazakhstan currently practise the sport on a regular basis.
This information may not be reproduced without reference to Kazakhstan Today. Copyright of materials of News Agency Kazakhstan Today.
Elena Rybakina Takes No. 1 Spot in WTA Live Rankings
Images | KTF Press Service
Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina has moved to the top of the WTA Live Rankings ahead of the US Open, the Kazakhstan Tennis Federation said.
Rybakina currently has 7,911 points in the live standings, while Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka has dropped to second place with 6,585 points. However, in the official WTA rankings published before the start of the tournament, Sabalenka remains world No. 1 with 8,575 points, while Rybakina is second with 8,141.
The change in the live standings is due to points from last year’s results being removed. Sabalenka dropped 2,000 points earned for winning the previous edition of the tournament, while Rybakina had significantly fewer points to defend.
The WTA Live Rankings provide a provisional picture of the standings and are updated in real time as matches are played.
In April, Rybakina capped a successful campaign by winning a WTA 500 tournament. In November last year, she became the first Asian tennis player to win the WTA Finals.
In January this year, Rybakina won the 2026 Australian Open.
This information may not be reproduced without reference to Kazakhstan Today. Copyright of materials of News Agency Kazakhstan Today.
Sixth World Nomad Games Begin in Bishkek
Images | Akorda
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev attended the opening ceremony of the Games at Bishkek Arena, according to the Akorda presidential press service.
Around 3,000 athletes from more than 100 countries are taking part in the Games. Kazakhstan is represented by more than 150 athletes, who will compete in all 43 disciplines.
This year’s competitions will be held from August 31 to September 6 in Kyrgyzstan’s Issyk-Kul Region.
This information may not be reproduced without reference to Kazakhstan Today. Copyright of materials of News Agency Kazakhstan Today.
Kazakhstan to compete at Canoe Sprint World Championships in Poland
Images | NOC
This information may not be reproduced without reference to Kazakhstan Today. Copyright of materials of News Agency Kazakhstan Today.
Tokayev congratulates Kazakhstan’s judokas on strong World Championships showing
Images | MTS RK
Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has congratulated the national judo team on its successful performance at the World Cadet Judo Championships in Guayaquil, Ecuador, the Akorda presidential press service said.
The head of state congratulated the team on winning the mixed team event and congratulated Gabit Rasulkhann, Fatima Supygalieva and Adilzhan Zhaudinov on their individual gold medals.
The president wished the young champions further achievements and successful sporting careers.
Kazakhstan’s judokas won a total of 11 medals at the World Championships - four gold, three silver and four bronze. This is the best result in the history of Kazakh judo.
The previous evening, Tokayev spoke by phone with International Judo Federation (IJF) President Marius Vizer. The IJF chief congratulated the Kazakh president on the unprecedented success of Kazakhstan’s athletes at the World Championships.
Tokayev thanked Vizer for his cooperation with the national federation and Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Tourism and Sports, which contributes to the development and promotion of judo in the country.
Kazakhstan’s judo team achieved a landmark result by winning the mixed team event at the World Cadet Championships for the first time. The team title followed a record performance by Kazakh judokas in the individual events.
The boys finished first in the team standings, while the girls placed second. Fatima Supygalieva also made history as the first Kazakh female judoka to win a world title in the cadet girls’ category.
This information may not be reproduced without reference to Kazakhstan Today. Copyright of materials of News Agency Kazakhstan Today.