Football, Presidential Style

Kazakh football is undergoing tectonic changes. The country’s president, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, is paying close attention to the sport — and for good reason. Young talent Dastan Satpayev has caught the eye of Chelsea, while Kairat is competing in the group stage of the Champions League for the first time. Astana is welcoming the presidents of FIFA and UEFA, and Almaty is hosting some of the world’s top footballers. Fergana spoke with David Loria, Secretary General of the Kazakhstan Football Federation, about the transformations in Kazakh football.

— All anyone is talking about now are reforms. Where does this drive to change football come from?

— In fact, these changes have been a long time coming. Anyone familiar with Kazakh football knows that in recent years we have been treading water, both domestically and internationally. There were, of course, occasional successes — Astana reaching the group stage of the Champions League, or the national team under Magomed Adiyev delivering a very solid qualifying campaign for the EURO, including in the Nations League. But these were exceptions that only proved the rule. Unfortunately, there was no real stability or progress. These achievements did nothing to solve the many internal problems faced regularly by Kazakh professional clubs and youth football. Naturally, the fans see and understand this. They themselves constantly speak of the need for change.

The time has come. The starting point is clear — the political will and support of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. He has not only declared football development a priority, but also given this process real momentum. This includes management reforms, such as moving clubs out from under direct state financing, as well as infrastructure projects, which are crucial for the growth of youth football and, more broadly, for the health of Kazakhstanis, who should have the opportunity to enjoy sports and play football.

Kairat. Photo: sports.kz

— Which projects today best symbolize the new face of Kazakh football?

— First of all, the construction of modern stadiums and the modernization of sports infrastructure in the regions. I want to emphasize that this is a personal initiative of President Tokayev. He set the task of ensuring that football in Kazakhstan develops not only in major cities but in every region. For children and fans, this creates fundamentally new conditions. The federation, led by Marat Omarov, fully supports these initiatives of the head of state.

The second is the expansion of the Premier League to 16 teams, which will make the championship more competitive and exciting. Twenty-six rounds per season is very little; there is not enough intensity, and our clubs feel this in European competitions.

— You mentioned expanding the number of Premier League participants. At the same time, we know that clubs periodically face financial problems.

— That is exactly why the plan is to move clubs out from under direct state financing. And even now there are clubs that are not just talking about it, but actually switching to a new form of ownership and management. Let us not forget about Kairat, which has long operated without state budget funding.

— We can’t ignore the foreign-player quota. What is the idea behind it?

— To give more opportunities to Kazakh players. Our footballers will have far more chances to prove themselves at the professional level, which, combined with the reforms we are implementing, will undoubtedly bear fruit in the short term. It is clear that we cannot do without foreign players altogether, but they must be of high quality so that Kazakh players can look up to them. Fans should not be left with the sense of unfairness when a foreign player is on the pitch while a local footballer of equal ability sits on the bench.

— Are citizens of EAEU countries considered foreign players?

— Not exactly. In fact, not at all. The emphasis will simply be on Kazakh players. A certain number of them must be included in a team’s roster. And this is not some novelty. In the Belarusian championship, for example, all those without a Belarusian passport are considered foreigners. We must proceed first and foremost from the interests of Kazakh football. Everything we are doing is aimed solely at that.

— Can we say that Kazakh football is now at a turning point in its development?

— Absolutely. The president has made it clear: football must become not only a popular sport but also part of national identity. We feel this support every day. President Tokayev’s meetings with FIFA president Gianni Infantino and UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin in 2025 sent a clear signal to the world: Kazakhstan is serious about being part of the global football family.

Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Gianni Infantino. Photo: Akorda

— To begin with, we need to focus on infrastructure.

— Of course. Together with FIFA, we are laying more and more football fields, encouraging the development of grassroots and youth football, especially in the regions. We ourselves actively support projects for building new stadiums in Kazakhstan. A new arena has already been completed in Kyzylorda, which will host the Cup final on October 4. Stadiums are also planned for Shymkent, Aktobe and Almaty, while work has already begun in Semey and Astana.

— What is the federation’s role in implementing this policy?

— Our task is to translate political signals into practical steps. We are reforming youth and grassroots football, launching new tournaments, introducing modern refereeing standards and new models of club management. The president sets the direction, and the federation turns it into a program of action.

— The creation of the Amateur League is another such step?

— Exactly. We are doing everything to get as many people involved as possible. Just think — the strongest amateur teams now have a chance to play at the professional level and potentially represent Kazakhstan internationally in UEFA’s Regions’ Cup. The project will cover all regions of the country. We expect around 260 teams, involving over 5,000 players. And that’s only the beginning.

— How would you describe the main goal for the coming years?

— To make football in Kazakhstan sustainable, competitive, and open. For our children to play in modern stadiums, for clubs to operate under transparent rules, for the national team to regularly compete in major tournaments. I am confident that with the support of the state and the president, we will achieve this.

— Right now the national team is without a head coach. But the roster for the upcoming matches has already been announced. Who is making the selections, and who will become the new coach?

— As you know, after the loss to Belgium, Ali Aliyev resigned. Unfortunately, he was unable to achieve positive results, although it must be said that under Ali Khanaliyevich our national team played respectable football. In any case, we are grateful to Aliyev for his work and thank him at least for the fact that Dastan Satpayev made his debut for the national team under his leadership. As for the name of the new head coach, I cannot tell you that yet.