Managing Director of the World Phygital Community (WPC) Dan Merkley
Doha, Qatar: With Qatar’s established legacy in hosting global sporting events, particularly with the hosting of the FIFA World Cup 2022, the nation is uniquely positioned to lead the charge in the Phygital sports movement, Managing Director of the World Phygital Community (WPC) Dan Merkley has said.
WPC is a non-profit, international organisation that aims to promote phygital sport worldwide by uniting physical and digital communities globally.
Speaking to The Peninsula on the sidelines of the Qatar Esports Forum 2025 held recently, Merkley noted that Qatar’s investment in traditional sports is well-documented, with initiatives like Aspire Academy fostering athletic excellence, adding that the nation’s forward-thinking approach makes it an ideal candidate to adopt Phygital sports as a national initiative.
“Qatar has been circling bigger sporting events, and with initiatives like the Aspire Academy, there’s a great opportunity to be an early adopter of the Phygital movement. By integrating the digital gaming culture that captivates youth with physical activity, Qatar could set a global precedent,” he added.
He noted that Qatar has already begun to make strides in this regard with the successful hosting of Phygital tournaments in 2025.
“These events have established Qatar as a pipeline for talent to the WPC’s flagship event, the Games of the Future, positioning the nation as a hub for this emerging sport."
“For Qatar, embracing Phygital sports could amplify its global sports legacy while addressing youth health and digital literacy. The potential for partnerships here is huge,” Merkley emphasised.
He added that as the WPC disrupts the traditional sports and esports industries, Qatar stands to lead this revolution, blending its passion for competition with a commitment to innovation.
Merkley pointed out that the appeal of Phygital sports, a hybrid of digital esports and physical athletics, lies in its ability to address a pressing global issue: youth inactivity.
He highlighted the rising health concerns like obesity and diabetes, which stem from sedentary lifestyles often linked to excessive gaming.
“We’re not wagging our finger at kids who love esports,” he said. “We’re saying, add a physical component to enhance your life.” This philosophy underpins Phygital disciplines like Phygital Football, where teams compete in a video game and then on a five-on-five pitch, with the combined score determining the winner.
Founded in July 2024, the WPC aims to create a global ecosystem for Phygital sports, fostering talent across 96 countries.
Merkley described the organisation’s rapid growth, noting that within nine months, it had secured nearly 100 member entities worldwide, surpassing its 2025 goal. These members, including Qatar’s Dala Holding Media, organised 80 tournaments in the WPC’s inaugural year, engaging over 900 teams and thousands of athletes.
The WPC’s mission is to balance digital and physical components in a scalable, replicable way. “From the conception of a Phygital discipline, we evaluate both components to ensure they merge seamlessly,” Merkley explained.
The WPC MD noted that for a discipline to succeed, the physical sport must be globally popular, with accessible venues and existing talent pools, while the digital game must have a strong following.
“This balance ensures that Phygital sports can be contested on equal technical merit worldwide,” he said.
By partnering with ministries of sport, education, and private industries, the WPC aims to embed Phygital sports in schools and communities, particularly in tech-forward nations like Qatar.
