Former striker of St. Petersburg Zenit and London Arsenal, Andrei Arshavin, spoke after the opening ceremony of the Future Games in Kazan, directing a request to Russian President Vladimir Putin about the creation of a Russian football simulator. The message was relayed by Pavel Zarubin. The idea centers on giving young players a venue to develop and showcase their talents within virtual environments that replicate real clubs across the Russian Premier League (RPL).
According to the proposal, such a simulator would allow players to represent the national team, real RPL clubs, and regional teams within a safe, controlled digital space. Advocates argue that there is currently a lack of comparable Russian-language or domestic alternatives, and that this could stimulate sustained interest in football when many people spend substantial time in front of screens. By offering authentic team dynamics, training regimens, and competitive ladders, the platform could become a bridge between youth development and professional football careers in Russia.
Arshavin emphasized the potential benefits of a national football simulator, noting that it could help broaden participation and provide a modern pathway for young talents to try out roles and tactics that mirror real-world football. The proposal envisions integrated features such as youth academies, regional leagues, and a national squad mode, all designed to reflect the competitive structure of Russian football while weaving in educational and scouting components. The aim is to keep younger generations engaged with the sport, even as digital entertainment grows more prevalent, by offering a genuine sense of progression and achievement within a virtual ecosystem.
The Games of the Future phygital tournament is scheduled to run from February 21 to March 3. The sports program includes competitions across 21 innovative disciplines, hosted at ten facilities in Kazan and Sochi. In Kazan, the city that hosted the 2014 Winter Olympics, the G-Drive phygital racing event will challenge athletes to deliver peak performance on both virtual tracks and the physical course. This dual-format competition highlights how emerging technologies enable athletes to train and compete in ways that blend digital simulation with real-world skill, precision, and physical readiness.
In addition to racing, the event portfolio features a range of demonstrations and tournaments that showcase the evolving relationship between sport and technology. Attendees can expect demonstrations of augmented reality interfaces, telemetry-enabled training tools, and immersive experiences that translate complex athletic movements into accessible digital feedback. The broader aim is to illustrate how phygital formats can complement traditional sports, offering new avenues for training, talent identification, and fan engagement across multiple disciplines.
There were earlier announcements about notable participants and guests associated with the opening, underscoring the event’s emphasis on innovation and youth development. The overall program reflects a growing trend toward integrating digital platforms with elite sports ecosystems, providing both local and national audiences with modern, interactive experiences that extend beyond conventional competitions. As these programs evolve, they are expected to influence how young athletes approach training, competition, and career planning within Russian football and related sports sectors, while also inviting broader international interest in Russia’s digital-sport initiatives.