A new sports concept was presented at the VSD Digital Sports Meet-Up (DSMU) on Wednesday, August 6, 2025: "Phygital Sports". Marcus Meyer from Phygital Sports League Deutschland (PSL Deutschland for short) provided insights into a movement that combines digital and physical sports formats and is currently on the rise internationally.
What are "phygital sports"?
The DSMU discussion focused on the Phygital Sports League (PSL), which offers competition formats in which digital games and real sports are combined.
An example: Two teams first compete against each other in a short game of EA FC (formerly FIFA), followed immediately by a soccer match in a 5v5 format on the small pitch. The points scored from both sections flow into a joint scoring system. The formats are compact, produced close to the media and accessible to both live and digital audiences.
Marcus Meyer explains:
"We connect worlds, we connect communities - and we do so at a level that is competitive, inclusive and forward-looking."
Zeitgeist or trend reversal?
The discussion surrounding phygital sports is embedded in larger social developments:
- According to organizers, many young people spend significantly more time playing digital games than exercising. Phygital formats could build a new bridge here.
- The league sees itself as inclusive and also wants to involve people who are active in the digital field, for example, but have physical limitations.
- According to PSL, the project already has an international reach - with activities in over 90 countries and a central seasonal event ("Games of the Future").
Stephan from the VSD board:
"We are talking about target groups that no longer differentiate between real and digital sport - they move in both worlds as a matter of course."Marcus Meyer adds:
"The classic 90-minute game logic no longer works for many young people. Our formats last three to five minutes - and demand everything."
New playing fields for clubs, municipalities and education
The concepts presented offer various starting points:
- Sports clubs could use phygital formats to reach young people who are difficult to reach through traditional programs.
- Municipal stakeholders may see potential in event formats to revitalize sports grounds, youth centers or educational institutions.
- Schools and universities could take up cross-sport competition formats that combine sporting activity and digital know-how in a low-threshold way.
Marco Grund from the VSD board:
"If young people are going to gamble anyway, why not do it in a club - with exercise, team spirit and real competitive dynamics?"Marcus Meyer:
"We are not a competitor to traditional sport, but a complement. The player is the focus - in both worlds."
Questions that remain on the pitch
The DSMU talk showed that there are numerous unanswered questions surrounding phygital sports:
- What role can sports associations play?
- How can data protection, youth protection and sporting fairness be ensured in hybrid formats?
- How sustainable and scalable are such offers for different regions?
Stephan Peters:
"We see a potential new mass sport emerging here - this calls for structured dialog with sports policy, education and the club landscape."Marcus Meyer:
"In five years, Phygital Sports will be an integral part of sports culture - I'm convinced of that."
Further links:
- Relive 👉DSMU Talksvia LinkedIn
- Further information: www.psl-deutschland.de
- PSL Germany Rights holder is Force of Disruption GmbH
Contact for exchange and discussion: Via the VSD, Marcus Meyer, Stephan Peters, Marco Grund or directly via the platforms of PSL Germany
Note: This article is an independent summary of the DSMU talk within the framework of the VSD formats and makes no claim to completeness or validity of individual statements.