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World Cup

Uzbekistan Signs Fabio Cannavaro as Coach Ahead of World Cup

Fabio Cannavaro has signed a contract with the Uzbekistan Football Association to coach the national team, which qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup for the first time in the country’s 34 years of independence. “The Italian coach will prepare our team for the World Cup to be held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico,” the association said after the contract was signed on Monday at Uzbekistan’s National Football Center. It said Cannavaro had the experience and skills to deliver success for Uzbekistan, describing him as “a three-time World Cup participant, 2006 World Cup winner, one of the best defenders of the recent past, and a renowned expert.” “We have seen that a defensive playing style brings results,” Ravshan Irmatov, the association’s first vice president, said at a news conference. “We believe that with his international experience, professional culture, and tactical strictness, he will bring new spirit and a new system to our national team.” At the news conference, Cannavaro said he was thankful for the trust shown in him and outlined some plans to help Uzbekistan’s national team get comfortable with the pace and demands of the World Cup level. “The intensity of the Super League needs to be increased; we will discuss this with the management. The more we move at a high tempo during the game, the better the results will start to be. Players' recovery is also very important. We would also ask the coaches at clubs to send daily, weekly, or monthly performance data of the players so that we can know whether their results are improving or not,” Cannavaro said. “I had offers from 7-8 places. First of all, the fact that the team qualified for the World Cup and the seriousness of the project here encouraged me to accept the offer. Is it difficult to play at the World Cup? Yes, very difficult, but we will try,” he said. Cannavaro replaces Timur Kapadze, an Uzbekistani former pro football player who led the national team to its first-ever qualification for the World Cup with a 0-0 draw against the United Arab Emirates in Abu Dhabi in June. Cannavaro said he had discussed the team with his predecessor, noting that having “local specialists” on the staff will help him learn about the players’ mentality and the culture of Uzbekistan. To that end, Kapadze will remain for now as an assistant coach. The Uzbekistan Football Association said the coaching staff that will help Cannavaro includes assistant coach Eugenio Albarella, who has worked with Japan’s national team as well as Juventus, Udinese, and Dinamo Zagreb; fitness coach Francesco Troise, who has collaborated with Benevento, Udinese, and Dinamo Zagreb; and goalkeepers coach Antonio Kimienti, who has experience with Italy’s national youth team, and the Sampdoria and SPAL clubs.

Sports

Mbappé Shines as Real Madrid Rout Kairat in Almaty

French forward Kylian Mbappé scored a hat-trick in Kazakhstan last night, as Real Madrid overwhelmed Almaty’s Kairat in a UEFA Champions’ League group-stage match. The game drew massive attention in Kazakhstan and beyond. Yet despite the 5-0 defeat, it was 18-year-old Kairat goalkeeper Sherkhan Kalmurza who earned plaudits for his valiant performance against the Spanish giants. Held on September 30 at Almaty’s Central Stadium, the match became the most attended football event in Kazakhstan in recent years. With a stadium capacity of 23,800, organizers reported 99% attendance, including around 5,000 fans from abroad, not only from Spain, but also from Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Russia. Several thousand more were left outside the gates, prompting police to intervene to prevent overcrowding. In a creative twist, a local mobile operator arranged an “extra-tribune” on a nearby apartment balcony, offering ten lucky subscribers an elevated view of the game. The anticipation around the match spiked when Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso opted to bring his full squad, contrary to expectations that reserves would be fielded. The decision proved decisive. Kairat nearly stunned the visitors early on when forward Dastan Satpayev, on loan from Chelsea, forced Thibaut Courtois into a reflex save with a powerful header. But Real quickly assumed control. After a string of early saves by Kalmurza, Mbappé opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 24th minute. The young goalkeeper held firm through the rest of the first half, but the second period saw Real’s firepower overwhelm Kairat. Mbappé added two more goals to complete his hat-trick, while Eduardo Camavinga and Brahim Díaz also found the net both assisted by Rodrygo. Kairat had a fleeting chance to pull one back in the 67th minute when Valery Gromyko earned a penalty. However, Italian referee Marco Guida overturned the decision after a VAR review. Speaking after the match, Alonso praised Kairat’s opening effort: “This team deserves to play in the Champions League. The atmosphere was incredible. I wish Kairat all the best.” Kairat head coach Rafael Urazbakhtin acknowledged the quality gap: “We are in different weight categories. But we gained invaluable experience playing at such speed. Real’s counterattacks were simply crazy.” The evening produced three standout performers: Mbappé with a hat-trick, Rodrygo with three assists, and Kalmurza, whose string of saves against world-class opponents earned him praise across social media. His Instagram following more than doubled overnight, from 89,000 to 172,000. As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, Kairat’s journey to the group stage was largely secured by backup goalkeeper Temirlan Anarbekov, who stepped in for the injured Alexander Zarutsky during the August qualifiers. However, ahead of the group stage, Anarbekov suffered a broken jaw in a domestic league match, while Zarutsky had only just returned to training. The responsibility fell to 18-year-old Kalmurza, who seized his moment on European football’s biggest stage.

Sports

Kazakhstan Football’s European Breakthrough Amid Grassroots Struggles

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...

Sports

Paulo Bento Declines Offer to Coach Uzbekistan National Football Team

Portuguese football coach Paulo Bento has reportedly declined an offer to lead Uzbekistan’s national team, despite the country’s historic qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. According to the Portuguese sports daily A BOLA, the 56-year-old coach turned down the proposal from the Uzbekistan Football Association, stating that the terms did not align with his current career plans. Bento, who was dismissed as head coach of the United Arab Emirates in March 2024, is still available on the international coaching market. His departure from the UAE team came as a surprise, particularly since the squad remained in contention for what could have been its first-ever World Cup appearance. Bento previously managed the Portuguese national team from 2010 to 2014, leading them through UEFA Euro 2012 and the 2014 FIFA World Cup. More recently, he coached South Korea at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Uzbekistan’s reported interest in Bento reflects the country’s broader ambitions to elevate its football program ahead of its World Cup debut in 2026. The national team secured qualification earlier this year, marking a landmark achievement. Officials have emphasized ongoing reforms within the country’s football infrastructure, with goals to professionalize the domestic league and enhance international competitiveness.

Sports

Real Madrid to Play Kairat in Almaty in UEFA Champions League

Almaty’s Kairat will face European giants, including 15-time champions Real Madrid, in the UEFA Champions League group stage, marking a historic milestone for the Kazakh club. Kairat has never before reached this phase of the competition. Earlier this summer, the club became only the second team from Kazakhstan, after Astana, to qualify for the group stage by overcoming four rounds of qualifiers. Prior to the August 28 draw, head coach Rafael Urazbakhtin expressed a wish to be grouped with Real Madrid, Barcelona, or Liverpool. The draw delivered on one of those wishes: Kairat will now face Real Madrid, the most decorated club in European football history. Also in their group are Inter Milan, three-time Champions League winners, and Arsenal, a top English club with 13 domestic league titles but still seeking their first Champions League crown. Kairat's group stage schedule includes away matches against Sporting Lisbon and Copenhagen, while they will host Belgium’s Club Brugge, Greece’s Olympiacos, and Cyprus’s Pafos in Almaty. The group stage will be played between late September 2025 and the end of January 2026. “We are delighted to be playing Real Madrid. It's not often that such a club comes to Kazakhstan,” said Urazbakhtin. He acknowledged the disparity in skill levels but emphasized the importance of home support and maximizing their advantage in Almaty. A total of 36 clubs are competing in this season’s group stage. Each team plays eight matches, four home and four away, against different opponents. The top eight teams overall will advance directly to the playoffs, while clubs ranked 9th to 24th will enter a playoff round in February 2026 to fight for the remaining spots in the round of 16. As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, Kairat earned their Champions League berth after a dramatic penalty shootout win over Celtic, with reserve goalkeeper Temirlan Anarbekov playing a decisive role in the victory.

Sports

Backup Goalkeeper Anarbekov Secures Champions League Berth for Kairat Almaty

Temirlan Anarbekov, the reserve goalkeeper for Kazakhstani football club Kairat Almaty, played a starring role as his team reached the UEFA Champions League group stage for the first time. On August 26 Kairat secured its place in Europe’s premier club competition this season by beating Scottish champions Celtic in the final qualifying round. Kairat entered the Champions League qualifiers after claiming their fourth domestic title last year. This summer, the Kazakh champions successfully navigated three qualifying rounds, defeating Slovenia’s Olimpija, Finland’s KuPS, and Slovakia’s Slovan Bratislava, to reach a decisive playoff against Celtic. The Scottish club, a regular participant in recent Champions League group stages, posed a formidable challenge. Kairat, by contrast, had previously reached the autumn phase of European competition just once, in the lesser UEFA Conference League three years ago. In the first leg in Glasgow last week, Kairat held Celtic to a 0-0 draw. However, the result came at a cost: first-choice goalkeeper and national team regular Alexander Zarutsky sustained a leg muscle injury and had to be substituted. Temirlan Anarbekov, the team’s backup, stepped in. With Zarutsky still sidelined, Anarbekov started the return leg in Almaty. He delivered a flawless performance, keeping a clean sheet through regular time and two 15-minute periods of extra time. The match was ultimately decided by a penalty shootout. Anarbekov stole the spotlight by saving three out of five attempts. Kairat won the shootout 3-2. The team became only the second from Kazakhstan to reach the Champions League group stage, following Astana’s breakthrough in 2015. Kairat will discover its group-stage opponents during the Champions League draw on August 28. They are Kazakhstan’s sole representative in European competition this season, after Aktobe failed to qualify for both the Europa League and Conference League, and Shymkent’s Ordabasy and Astana exited in earlier rounds. Meanwhile, in neighboring Uzbekistan, the national football federation continues its search for a new head coach. As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, former South Korea and Portugal manager Paulo Bento is the frontrunner for the role.