The phygital movement in the international sports system: development prospects following the multisport tournament “Future Games 2025” in Abu Dhabi

Relevance. The digital transformation of the sports industry necessitates a scientific understanding of the institutionalization processes of phygital sports and the development of methodological frameworks for assessing its socio-economic efficiency. The purpose of this study is to quantify the media reach of the “Future Games 2025” tournament, identify patterns of viewer behavior, formulate practical recommendations for organizers of phygital events, and determine promising directions for the development of phygital sports. Methods. The study is based on the analysis of primary quantitative data from online broadcasts of the tournament (December 15–23, 2025, Abu Dhabi) across 10 disciplines on the Twitch, YouTube, and VK Video platforms. Descriptive statistical, comparative, and correlation (Pearson’s coefficient) analyses were applied. Results. The total audience exceeded 32 million views. The dominance of mobile disciplines (MOBA Mobile: MLBB – 39.0% of total reach) and the regional platform VK Video (88.7% of recorded views) was revealed. A weak positive correlation was found between the prize funds of disciplines and their media popularity (r = 0.34), indicating a structural imbalance in investments. Conclusion. Phygital sports are entering a phase of large-scale institutionalization, which requires the development of new methodological approaches to assess economic efficiency and optimize investment models.