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Understanding Virtual Sports: Concept, Relevance, and Future Directions#

The ongoing digitalisation of sport is giving rise to new sporting formats and disciplines (for example, the UCI's cycling esports) that blur the boundaries between traditional sports and video gaming. Rather than treating these formats as mere games or temporary trends, this page outlines why it makes sense to recognise and understand them as new distinct sporting disciplines that are here to stay. In what follows, we discuss what virtual sports are, why they matter, whom they impact, and how their future is taking shape.

To make sense of virtual sports as emerging digitalised sporting disciplines, we link back to foundational concepts developed in social sciences and sport management. Most of the items explained on this page have been developed as part of Thibault Fouquaert's doctoral dissertation (Ghent University, Belgium) on the topic of virtual sports. Those who want to read or explore a more comprehensive and scientific analysis of virtual sports and some of the concepts discussed below can consult the full open access text (UGent Biblio) of Thibault's dissertation online.

Concept

Using the Dimensions of Sport to Define Virtual Sports

To identify what sets virtual sports apart, we can analyse them across nine dimensions that characterise traditional sports. These dimensions were developed in sport sociology literature (e.g. Guttmann, 2004; Loy, 1968) and later extended by Fouquaert (2026) to analyse sport digitalisation. They provide a structure to compare the activities of virtual sports, esports and exergames, relative to each other and to traditional sports.

  1. 1
    Human Agency: The outcome is determined by human participation and decision-making and not, for instance, by autonomous or agentic technology.
  2. 2
    Voluntary Participation: Engagement is non-coercive and motivated by intrinsic or extrinsic reasons, such as enjoyment, health, community belonging, or competitive ambition.
  3. 3
    Competition: Contests that test participants' capabilities against each other.
  4. 4
    Physicality: Meaning that the physical engagement, in any form or way, of human beings is crucial to the outcomes of the activity.
  5. 5
    Cognitivity: Skills involving real-time strategic thinking, tactical pacing, and situational awareness that complement participants’ physical prowess during the activity.
  6. 6
    Following: A widespread activity that attracts audiences that extend beyond local interests or communities. For instance, a game played and known by only a handful of people can therefore not be considered sport.
  7. 7
    Governance: A structure surrounding the activity that relies on formal established rules enforced by legitimate governing bodies such as international and national federations.
  8. 8
    Institutionalisation: A status that is achieved through legitimacy, rules and norms, securing the role of sport as a significant social practice.
  9. 9
    Reality: The specific environment and laws (i.e. nature, governing...) under which an activity takes place. For activities without any form of digitalisation (e.g. traditional sports), this is the actual, real-world reality.

While each dimension is more thoroughly discussed in the work of Fouquaert (2026, p. 74), applying these dimensions of traditional sports to other digitalised sports activities leads to the following conclusions:

  • Virtual sports can be considered sports as they can fulfill each dimension of sport.
  • Because not all dimensions are fulfilled in the exact same manner, it is necessary to clearly distinguish virtual sports from sports, esports and exergames.
  • Virtual sports differentiate themselves from sports and esports in their physicality and reality, fulfilling these dimensions differently. More on that below.

Where Virtual Sports Differ

Based on the dimensions above, Virtual Sports fulfill two dimensions so distinctly that it clearly distinguishes them from traditional sports and esports. To understand the unique physicality of virtual sports, we use the concept of Movement (de)compression. To understand the unique reality of virtual sports, we use the concept of Physical-Digital Interreality. Combined, they make up an activity that is not exactly sports, nor esports.

  • Movement Decompression

    Based on dimension 4 Physicality
    Diagram contrasting fine-motor compressed movement in esports with authentic gross-motor decompressed movement in virtual sports
    Source: Fouquaert (2026, p. 78).

    Within esports, there is often a discussion and reluctance to consider it as sports because it is argued that esports "lack great physicality" (Jenny et al., 2017, p. 15) and are "non-physical" (Parry & Giesbrecht, 2023, p. 210). However, others like Naraine (2022, p. 40) argue that "esports is physical" given that other (traditional) sports like shooting require high-valued fine-motoric movements.

    To better understand physicality in the context of (e)sports, it clearly becomes essential to look past non-physical versus physical, or fine-motoric versus gross-motoric. The concept of movement (de)compression by Hemmingsen (2024) provides a solution to that. In essence, it considers physicality in relation to the movements required in the traditional sport and how well these are mimicked.

    In esports, movements are highly compressed, meaning that the original movements from the parent sport are in a sense reduced to different (but not inferior) physical movements (e.g. accurately pressing buttons). Applying movement (de)compression to virtual sports makes clear that esports and virtual sports are actually different in their physicality. Compared to esports, virtual sports clearly demonstrate highly decompressed movements (i.e. little compressed), mimicking the traditional "parent" sport with great accuracy and sensitivity. For example, the TGL SoFi simulator tracks the path of a golf club with millimeter precision.

  • Physical-Digital Interreality

    Based on dimension 9 Reality
    Diagram illustrating physical-digital interreality and algorithmic mediation of physiological output in virtual sports
    Source: Fouquaert (2026, p. 82).

    Activities like virtual sports or esports involve a digital translation of performances (e.g. human input mediated through a game engine). In such instances, it is important to recognise the potential impact of this digital translation. If the outcome includes elements beyond solely human input (e.g. game engine algorithms), the sporting activity and its play becomes a hybrid outcome of what happens in the actual world and what happens in the digital world.

    This potential impact was previously not recognised, as virtual sports games were considered "simulations in sport" with "digital measurements representing the physical output of the athlete competing in the sport" (Parry & Giesbrecht, 2023, p. 221). In fact, it was even argued that games do not "fundamentally change the nature of the sporting activity" (Parry & Giesbrecht, 2023, p. 221).

    The concept of physical-digital interreality by Fouquaert (2026, p. 79) acknowledges this new hybrid reality based on research on esports and based on evidence on virtual cycling by Westmattelmann et al. (2022, 2025). These studies put forward empirical evidence of how measured physical performance (input) is not the only element that translates (100%) to the digital competition outcome (output). In virtual sports, the outcome is also determined by virtual, non-real, features and mechanisms such as virtual drafting dynamics, latency, gamification elements, avatars. As a result, the outcome of a virtual sport depends on both human input and digital alteration of such input. This makes clear that sports and virtual sports are actually different in their reality. Combined with the difference in Movement Decompression, virtual sports can simply not be considered as sports nor as esports, but present a new distinct category.

Towards a Universal Definition of Virtual Sports

Within a definition of virtual sports, it is also essential to acknowledge that sport becomes digitally measured (i.e. virtuality), and how this allows to organise sport in different ways. Most importantly is to recognise that virtual sports are not bound to a single setup. For instance, virtual sports can visually translate (i.e. representational fidelity) to a text-based online ranking, a 3D virtual world (e.g. Zwift), or to physical infrastructure using LED-integration (e.g. Mixed-Reality Table Tennis). They can take place co-located on a physical event location (e.g. UCI Cycling Esports World Championships) or distributed (e.g. from-home online events like MyWhoosh Sunday Raceclub). Lastly, virtual sports can be asynchronous or decoupled from time (e.g. Virtual Golf), or real-time synchronous events (e.g. competing simultaneously online against others).

Diagram illustrating virtuality in sport and its operational dimensions including representational fidelity, remoteness, and synchrony
Source: Adapted from Fouquaert (2026, p. 11).

Based on the outline above, including the various dimensions and ways of organising virtual sports, an approach can be made to universally define virtual sports:

“Institutionalised, rule-governed contests of human physical and cognitive skills that operate within a distinct physical-digital interreality that are characterized by voluntary human participation, a niche following, and high movement decompression mimicking a traditional parent sport, made possible through virtuality yet unbound to specific configurations of remoteness, (a)synchrony or representational fidelity.”

Fouquaert (2026, p. 84)

This definition is academically developed and primarily aimed towards knowledge development. It provides researchers, sport governing bodies, and policymakers with a robust outline of which activities could be considered virtual sports. Having a solid understanding and frame of reference is essential to discuss the topics and make decisions about it. At the same time, such an academic definition is limited in practical terms. That is why the Virtual Sports Research Network, in the future, aims to develop a more practical definition through collaboration with platform developers, hardware manufacturers, and industry stakeholders, in order to support the further growth of virtual sports within the industry.

Relevance

Virtual sports represent a promising development within the sporting industry. When approached strategically and well informed, they can create distinct strategic value for different stakeholders:

  • Policymakers: Virtual sports serve as a strategic asset to advance both elite-oriented and Sport-for-All sport policies. They can take away barriers like weather constraints, safety issues, or lack of infrastructure. Conversely, they can enable time-efficient, at-home, and accessible participation pathways for those who might otherwise remain physically inactive.
  • National & International Sport Governing Bodies: For policymakers and federations, virtual sports provide a platform to expand competitive sport offerings and formats. They offer new pathways toward internationally recognised competitions such as official World Championships or the (expected) Olympic Esports Games. New disciplines can be developed in which athletes and organisations can specialise and become professional.
  • Voluntary Sports Clubs & Coaches: At the grassroots level, clubs can innovate their services and attract new members by offering virtual rides and online structured workouts or club competitions. As explained in our blogpost, virtual sports can be leveraged for performance-related goals, to increase inclusivity and audience reach (e.g. targeting more women or youth), or to make workouts more engaging and challenging.
  • Athletes: Virtual sports provide new avenues for athletes to become professional by specialising in a new (virtual) discipline, as has for instance been the case within virtual cycling. Recreational and recreational-competitive athletes also benefit from interactive feedback, controllable training conditions, guided and structured workouts, and access to virtual competitions within their athletic capabilities, without potential risks and costs such as accidents or travel.
  • Technology Developers: Developers of hardware and software are opened up to a new market holding great potential in the future. Virtual sports products and services must be developed that address both mass markets and high-end elite markets. Both of these emerging markets are uniquely attractive as they carry the legitimacy, image, and consuming audience (both participants and spectators) of the traditional sports upon which they innovate.

Future Directions

As explained within the concluding remarks of Fouquaert's (2026, Section 19.3) doctoral dissertation, virtual sports are maturing from ad-hoc, "sport light", and commercial practices into institutionalised ways of practicing sport. To support this future growth and professionalisation, the industry and governing bodies must both reactively resolve contemporary issues in virtual sports, while equally engaging proactively with future developments in the following areas:

  • Establishing Governance Structures: To properly regulate and govern virtual sports, traditional sport governing bodies need to cooperate closely with commercial platform and hardware developers that possess the games' intellectual property. Formal structures, such as joint governance frameworks, agreements, and sector-wide regulatory networks, should be developed to safeguard sporting integrity.
  • Implementing Standards: Whether it is about how athletes' performances are verified or about the way algorithms impact their performances, standards need to be established. The industry would benefit from rules and structures that enable standard procedures and standard technological requirements, for example against cheating in virtual sports. Standards should be independently audited and certified, and open to any commercial developer to implement.
  • Establishing Support Structures: Federations will have to develop support structures for their athletes, clubs, and coaches engaging with virtual sports. These structures will need to span all types of sport participation and sport organisation, from elite athletes and professional clubs to leisure participants and voluntary grassroots clubs. They could, for instance, include educational programs, coaching, or access to financial resources and assets.
  • Balancing Policy Development: Institutional sport organisations must proactively balance the commercial, elite-oriented, and grassroots-oriented implementation of virtual sports. Because virtual sports have the potential to promote the Sport-for-All policy goals in innovative ways, it is important that policies and actual implementation are developed in a balanced way that benefits all sport logics and stakeholders.