Kazakhstan’s football is undergoing a pivotal transformation. While FC Kairat made history this year by qualifying for the UEFA Champions League group stage and is set to face Real Madrid later this month, youth and grassroots football remain critically underdeveloped, according to a recent analysis by Ranking.kz.
Mass Participation, Mixed Results
Football remains the most popular sport in Kazakhstan. In 2024, approximately 1.5 million people played the game, accounting for a quarter of all those involved in organized sports. These figures exclude informal games played on streets or university campuses.
There were 18,600 football groups and 8,100 futsal groups across the country in 2024, reflecting year-on-year growth of 5% and 26.8%, respectively. The number of coaches also rose, reaching 7,400 in football and 2,400 in futsal.
Despite these numbers, development at the youth level remains modest. Only 43,500 young players trained in sports schools, and fewer than 1,000 achieved a first-class sports rank. Not a single Kazakh footballer earned the title of International Master of Sport in 2024. Women’s football continues to decline: the number of girls enrolled in sports schools dropped by one-third to 155, while the number of coaches fell from 11 to just eight.
Structural Deficiencies
Experts highlight a shortage of qualified coaches and inadequate training infrastructure as major barriers. Only two-thirds of current coaches have formal sports education, and just four nationwide hold the highest coaching category. Winter training remains especially problematic, with many teams forced into small gyms or school halls due to the lack of proper facilities.
As of 2024, Kazakhstan had only 220 football arenas and 28 stadiums. Following the national team’s recent defeat to Belgium, Kazakhstan Football Federation (KFF) President Marat Omarov acknowledged the long-standing infrastructure issues. “My responsibility is to develop systemic football. For many years, infrastructure has been the main challenge, and I am responsible for addressing it,” he said.
According to a 2024 Youth Research Center survey, 15% of urban youth and over 25% of rural youth do not play sports due to a lack of nearby facilities. Nevertheless, grassroots football remains vital for developing elite talent. FC Kairat academy graduate Dastan Satpayev is expected to join Chelsea in 2026, Nuraly Alip currently plays for Zenit St. Petersburg, and 14-year-old Nurkanat Nurmakhanuly from Turkestan region has received an invitation to join Atletico Madrid’s academy.
State and Private Sector Engagement
Youth sports in Kazakhstan remain predominantly state-funded, but private investment is increasing. In summer 2025, Alatau City Bank became the general sponsor of the KFF, title partner of the Premier League, and official sponsor of national teams, covering league operations and supporting youth football development.
Kazakhstan has also become a focus for international partnerships. It is one of 11 countries selected by FIFA for the FIFA Arena project, which aims to build 100 modern mini-football pitches in schools across the country.
Kazakhstan’s breakthrough in European football marks a visible success for a sport on the rise. Yet experts note that lasting progress will require systemic investment: training qualified coaches, expanding infrastructure, and making the game accessible to all. Only then can today’s street matches evolve into tomorrow’s Champions League campaigns.
