Phygital Basketball – Triada, Wilders, Dangerous and LIGA PRO TEAM through to semifinals

Given the excellence on display during the Round of 16, expectations were high for the quarterfinals of Phygital Basketball presented by Halyk Fund. Some rose to the occasion and seized the moment, some battled hard but fell at the final hurdle – and some just couldn’t regain the form that had taken them this far. Here’s how the fourth day unfolded at Games of the Future 2026 powered by Samruk Kazyna.

Triada vs Flow Game Basketball

In the digital stage, Triada led from the start, but Flow Game Basketball were never far behind and only one or two points separated the teams throughout. In the physical stage, however, things were very different. Triada scored first and then raced ahead, Pyanzilla sinking basket after basket – often from beyond the arc – while Flow Game Basketball struggled to get any shots on target. At one point they missed three attempts from under the basket. With three minutes to go, the scoreline stood at 32-19 and the result looked inevitable. A nasty fall by Alex Aleksaxin, however, stopped play and the medics were called. The incident seemed to unsettle Triada’s rhythm, but soon Pyanzilla was rocking it again. Flow Game Basketball tried their best, but it just wasn’t their day and Triada booked a well-deserved spot in the semis.

Digital stage: Triada 19-16 Flow Game Basketball
Physical stage: Triada 19-11 Flow Game Basketball
Final score: Triada 38-27 Flow Game Basketball

Wilders vs MINSK

As in the previous match, there wasn’t much separating the two sides in the digital stage. The lead swapped several times, and no-one was surprised when MINSK took it 19-17. The physical stage was shaping up to be a classic clash, but it didn’t quite turn out that way. After some scrappy play in the early stages, Wilders quickly made up the deficit and began to inch ahead, basket by basket. MINSK struggled to get on the board – it took them almost three minutes to add any points. But it was hardly a vintage performance by either team until the dying seconds when Akademic scored two two-pointers to put the game beyond reach. Not Wilders’ best outing but they’ll take the win.

Digital stage: Wilders 17-19 MINSK
Physical stage: Wilders 17-3 MINSK
Final score: Wilders 34-22 MINSK

"For me, it's all about finding my shooting rhythm. Sometimes you get open looks but overthink them, so I just try to keep it simple and take the shots when they're there. Thankfully I found that rhythm towards the end of the game, and those points helped us close it out. Tomorrow will be another tough challenge against Triada, we know them well. We've played a lot together so it should be a great match. May the best team win." – Sergey “Akademic” Kozlov from Wilders

Dangerous vs PBC Astana

This was more like it – a quarterfinal worthy of the name, helped along by a noisy crowd roaring on their home team. The digital stage was pretty even, with both teams defending well, until the fifth minute when Dangerous began to inch ahead and didn’t let go until they wrapped it up 19-12. Defence was also the name of the game in the physical stage, with both teams struggling to score, but there was much more energy and focus about the play here. PBC Astana had plenty of shots on target but got unlucky with rebounds until the last minute when they found both their rhythm and the basket. But it was too little too late and Dangerous clinched the victory. PBC Astana are on their way home. Luckily, they don’t have far to go.

Digital stage: Dangerous 19-12 PBC Astana
Physical stage: Dangerous 10-12 PBC Astana
Final score: Dangerous 29-24 PBC Astana

"Playing against the crowd on the home team's court only made me want to fight harder. This was also a revenge game after what happened in Abu Dhabi last year, where PBC Astana was against us in the match for third place. Today we proved we're a better, stronger team. Looking ahead to tomorrow, we have the semifinals against LIGA PRO TEAM, who've won it twice before. We'll give our best and prepare carefully for whatever comes. As for our time in Astana, it's been beautiful." – Marko Koljevic from Dangerous

LIGA PRO TEAM vs Boca Juniors

Finally, it was time for the reigning champions to take on one of the most iconic sporting clubs in the world. Both teams adopted a disciplined, defensive approach in the digital stage, but LIGA PRO TEAM once again demonstrated why they are the reigning champions, edging the opening phase 19-15 to take a valuable advantage onto the court.

Boca Juniors looked to the impressive Nacho-Facu partnership that had shone the day before, but it wasn't enough. LIGA PRO TEAM dominated the physical battles, controlled the rebounds and showcased their superior strength to keep Boca Juniors at bay, sealing a 37-25 victory and the last remaining place in the semifinals.

Digital stage: LIGA PRO TEAM 19-15 Boca Juniors
Physical stage: LIGA PRO TEAM 18-10 Boca Juniors
Final score: LIGA PRO TEAM 37-25 Boca Juniors

Key takeaways

While the quarterfinals may not have reached the excitement and quality levels that have defined this Phygital Basketball tournament, Sunday’s semifinals are unlikely to disappoint. It will be a true clash of the titans as all four teams remain undefeated in the competition so far. Triada will take on Wilders, and LIGA PRO TEAM will face off against Dangerous. Play begins at 18:00 local time and you can watch all the action live on Phygital+, the official Games of the Future streaming platform.

Also on the schedule for Sunday, MOBA PC presented by CenterCredit moves from the Hood Arcade to the Ushkempirov Martial Arts Palace for its decider matches with play starting at 10:00. It’s also the final day of Battle Royale presented by Alatau City Bank at Beeline Arena starting at 14:00. Again, all times are local Astana time.

Alongside Phygital+, Games of the Future 2026 is being broadcast by leading media partners across the globe, including Fox Sports Mexico (Mexico), StarTimes (Africa), BIGG TV (France/Worldwide), ESR TV (USA/Worldwide), Play TV (Brazil), Unbeaten (Australia) and QazSport (Kazakhstan), ensuring fans around the world can follow the action as it unfolds.

The Games of the Future experience continues beyond the live action, with celebrity host Matt Richardson bringing fans exclusive behind-the-scenes access, updates and highlights throughout the tournament via @gamesofthefutureofficial.