Football in Kazakhstan is governed by the national body the Football Federation of Kazakhstan. The FFK organises the men's, women's and futsal national teams. Football is the most popular sport in the country, followed by ice hockey. Approximately a quarter of the people in Kazakhstan are considered association football fans.

History

Kazakh football first appeared in Semey before World War I, when British merchants brought the game to the area. Among the early players of the game was writer Mukhtar Auezov who turned out for the 'Yarysh' club, the biggest of the time . Teams soon followed in Pavlodar and Dzhambul, before the first official appearance of a Kazakh SSR representative team in 1928. By the 1930s Kazakh club sides were regularly participating in the lower ranks of Soviet football.

After World War II a regular league began in 1946 while a cup competition, previously held sporadically was instituted full-time in 1948. A permanent Kazakh SSR Football Federation was established in 1959. Leading club side FC Kairat Almaty went on to make history in 1960 by becoming the first Kazakh side to compete in the Soviet Top League and made further history in 1963 by reaching the semi-finals of the Soviet Cup, the best performance by a Kazakh team in the competition. They would go on to record Kazakhstan's first triumph in the Soviet First League in 1976.

No Kazakh footballer had represented the USSR until 1977 when FC Kairat defender Seilda Baishakov made his debut in a FIFA World Cup qualifier against Hungary. Later, in 1986, his club would go on to add further to their honours by finishing seventh in the Top League, an all-time best finish for a Kazakh club. The country's Eugeny Yarovenko also added to the honours as a member of the victorious Soviet side at the 1988 Summer Olympics.

After the fall of the Soviet Union, a Football Association of the Republic of Kazakhstan was set up in 1992 and soon accepted into FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation. The national team debuted soon afterwards and individual Kazakh competitions were established. The renamed FFK went on to join UEFA in 2002, ending their relationship with the AFC.

Domestic competition The main league competition in the country is the Kazakhstan Premier League, formed in 1992 from Zone 8 of the Third Level of Soviet football with other higher placed Kazakh clubs co-opted. A first division was added in 1994 and this competition is now organised on a regional basis and is fed into by a further regionalised second division. The Kazakhstan Cup is also competed for, while successful clubs gain entry to the early rounds of the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Europa League.

League system

LevelLeague(s)/division(s)1Kazakhstan Premier League 16 clubs ↓ 1 club ↑ 2 clubs2Kazakhstan First Division 13 clubs + 3 reserve teams ↓↑ 2 clubs3Kazakhstan Second Division 9 clubs + 15 reserve teams

National team

Although they participated in matches against other Republics of the Soviet Union, the Kazakhstan team did not make their official debut as an independent country until 1 June 1992, when they defeated Turkmenistan 1–0. Based at the Almaty Central Stadium, they are yet to qualify for a major tournament.

Champions during Soviet era (1936–91) A Kazakh SSR championship was founded in 1936 with no Kazakh clubs competing in the Soviet Top League. The winners of this competition were:

1936–81

1936 – Sbornaya Almaty 1937 – Dinamo Almaty 1938 – Dinamo Almaty 1939–47 – no competition 1948 – Dinamo Almaty 1949 – Lokomotiv Zhambyl 1950 – Sbornaya Almaty 1951 – Metallurg Shymkent 1952 – Metallurg Shymkent 1953 – Metallurg Shymkent 1954 – Dinamo Almaty 1956 – Sbornaya Almaty 1957 – Stroitel Almaty 1958 – Spartak Almaty 1959 – Spartak Almaty 1960 – Yenbek Guryev 1961 – Avangard Petropavlovsk 1962 – ADK Almaty 1963 – Tselinnik Semipalatinsk 1964 – ADK Almaty 1965 – ADK Almaty 1955 – Dinamo Almaty 1966 – Aktyubinets Aktyubinsk 1967 – Torpedo Kokshetau 1968 – Yenbek Zhezkazgan 1969 – Shakhtyor Saran' 1970 – Stroitel Temirtau 1971 – Yenbek Zhezkazgan 1972 – Traktor Pavlodar 1973 – Yenbek Zhezkazgan 1974 – Gornyak Nikol'sky 1975 – Metallurg Shymkent 1976 – Khimik Stepnogorsk 1977 – Khimik Stepnogorsk 1978 – Trud Shevchenko 1979 – Khimik Stepnogorsk 1980 – Meliorator Shymkent 1981 – Burevestnik Kostanay

1980–81. Zone 7, 3rd level of Soviet football, including Kazakhstan and other Central Asian teams 1980 – Traktor Pavlodar 1981 – Aktyubinets Aktobe

1982–91. Zone 8, 3rd level of Soviet football, including only Kazakhstan teams

1982 – Shakhter Karagandy 1983 – Shakhter Karagandy 1984 – Tselinnik Tselinograd 1985 – Meliorator Shymkent 1986 – Meliorator Shymkent 1987 – Meliorator Shymkent 1988 – Traktor Pavlodar 1989 – Traktor Pavlodar 1990 – Vostok Oskemen 1991 – Aktyubinets Aktobe

Most successful clubs overall

local and lower league organizations are not included. ClubDomestic TitlesKazakhstan Premier LeagueKazakhstan CupUSSR Federation CupKazakhstan League CupKazakhstan Super CupEuropean Railways CupTotalKairat5101-3120Astana73-16-17Aktobe52--3-10Tobol23--4-9Irtysh Pavlodar51----6Zhenis33----6Spartak Semey31----4Shakhter Karagandy21--1-4Ordabasy12--1-4Taraz11----2Kaisar -2----2Alma-Ata -1----1Atyrau -1----1Dostyk -1----1Vostok -1----1

The articles in italic indicate the defunct leagues and the defunct cups. The figures in bold indicate the most times this competition has been won by a team.

Attendances

The average attendance per top-flight football league season and the club with the highest average attendance:

Year League average Best club Best club average 2025 5,028 Astana 10,613 2024 4,321 Aktobe 10,442 2023 4,908 Ordabasy 16,602 2022 3,410 Aktobe 9,354 2021 — — — 2020 — — — 2019 3,739 Aktobe 7,250 2018 3,696 Aktobe 8,835 2017 3,920 Kayrat 9,029 2016 3,899 Kayrat 10,319 2015 3,579 Kayrat 8,675 2014 3,893 Kayrat 7,706 2013 4,182 Aktobe 8,313 2012 4,133 Aktobe 6,877 2011 3,854 Shakhter 6,666 2010 4,137 Aktobe 6,888 2009 3,767 Aktobe 6,823 2008 3,310 Aktobe 6,387 2007 3,956 Aktobe 7,387 2006 3,948 Aktobe 7,733 2005 4,374 Irtysh 7,540 2004 4,741 Irtysh 8,456 2003 5,345 Shakhter 7,938 2002 5,376 Irtysh 9,319 2001 4,241 Kyzylzhar 8,031 2000 3,688 Kyzylzhar 9,121 1999 3,641 Kyzylzhar 7,667 1998 3,023 Ekibastuzets 6,938 1997 3,456 Taraz 6,583Source:

See also Sport in Kazakhstan

References

External links Official Kazakhstan Football Federation website