Phygital basketball

Introducing Phygital Basketball

Imagine a sport where digital mastery meets physical dominance. That is Phygital Basketball. Teams battle across two worlds - first on a console, playing on a virtual court and then immediately play each other on a hardwood court in a 2x2 showdow. It is a fast, intense hybrid where esports strategy collides with raw athleticism. This is the next generation of basketball, uniting gamers and athletes together in explosive display of the future of sports.

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Competition Format

There are 16 clubs taking part in the competition — split into four groups of four. The groups are decided by a draw, with teams playing in a GSL format (no fifth match).

Teams

Each club has between two and four athletes of all genders and backgrounds. Players must be over 16 to take part.

2 stages

Digital (video game on console) + Physical (basketball 2x2)

Digital Stage

Two players from each club step into the basketball video game, with their in-game characters locked in just one hour before match starts. What follows is a ten minute of intense 2x2 play, until one club reaches 19 (nineteen) points or more. As soon as a team reaches nineteen points, the stage ends immediately. If a team reaches twenty points, that score is locked in. The final score is then carried over to the physical stage.

Physical stage

Two athletes per team step onto the standard hardwood for a 2x2 showdown, carrying over the score from the digital battle. The physical stage runs for seven minutes of "clean time" - meaning the clock stops during dead balls and free throws - or until one club scores 39 points.

How winner is decided?

Scores from both stages are combined and the winner is the team to reach 39 points first. If no team has reached 39 points at the end of the physical stage, the club with the highest score at the end of the seven minutes, wins the match. If the scores are level after both stages, the match comes down to a free‑throw showdown. Each club takes three alternating shots. If scores are still tied, clubs keep shooting until one club scores more than the other with the same number of attempts. Every eligible player must step up before anyone gets a second chance.