Football in Kazakhstan
Encyclopedia
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.
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 http://www.kff.kz/engl/history/1337.htm. 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 re-named FFK went on to join UEFA
in 2002, ending their relationship with the AFC.
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 Cup
.
the Kazakhstan team did not make their official debut until June 1 1992 when they defeated Turkmenistan
1-0. Based at the Almaty Central Stadium
, they have yet to qualify for a major tournament.
championship was founded in 1936 with no Kazakh clubs competing in the Soviet Top League
. The winners of this competition were:
1936-81
1980-81. Zone 7, 3rd level of Soviet football, including Kazakhstan and other Central Asia
n teams
1982-91. Zone 8, 3rd level of Soviet football, including only Kazakhstan teams
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
in Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe...
is governed by the national body the Football Federation of Kazakhstan
Football Federation of Kazakhstan
The Football Federation of Kazakhstan is the governing body of football in Kazakhstan. It organizes the football league, the Kazakhstan Premier League, and the Kazakhstan national football team...
. The FFK organises the men's
Kazakhstan national football team
The Kazakhstan national football team represents Kazakhstan in international men's association football and is directed by Football Federation of Kazakhstan. They split from the Soviet Union national football team after independence in 1991 and joined the Asian Football Confederation's Central and...
, women's
Kazakhstan women's national football team
Kazakhstan women's national football team represent Kazakhstan in international football.Kazakhstan made their debut in the Asian championships in 1995. Kazakhstan came second-to-last in their group. Two years later, Kazakhstan came last in the same championships...
and futsal
Futsal
Futsal is a variant of association football that is played on a smaller pitch and mainly played indoors. Its name is a portmanteau of the Portuguese futebol de salão and the Spanish fútbol de salón , which can be translated as "hall football" or "indoor football"...
national teams.
History
Kazakh football first appeared in SemeySemey
Semey , formerly known as Semipalatinsk and Alash-kala , is a city in Kazakhstan, in the northeastern province of East Kazakhstan, near the border with Siberia, around north of Almaty, and southeast of the Russian city of Omsk, along the Irtysh River.-History:The first settlement was in 1718,...
before World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, when British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
merchants brought the game to the area. Among the early players of the game was writer Mukhtar Auezov
Mukhtar Auezov
Mukhtar Omarkhanuli Auezov was a prominent Kazakh writer, known best for his work as a playwright.-Life:...
who turned out for the 'Yarysh' club, the biggest of the time http://www.kff.kz/engl/history/1337.htm. Teams soon followed in Pavlodar
Pavlodar
Pavlodar is a city in northeastern Kazakhstan and the capital of Pavlodar Province. It is located 350 km northeast of the national capital Astana, and 400 km southeast of the Russian city of Omsk along the Irtysh River. , the city has a population of 331710...
and Dzhambul, before the first official appearance of a Kazakh SSR
Kazakh SSR
The Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic , also known as the Kazakh SSR for short, was one of republics that made up the Soviet Union.At in area, it was the second largest constituent republic in the USSR, after the Russian SFSR. Its capital was Alma-Ata . Today it is the independent state of...
representative team in 1928. By the 1930s Kazakh club sides were regularly participating in the lower ranks of Soviet football.
After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
a regular league began in 1946 while a cup competition
Kazakhstan Cup
The Kazakhstan Cup is the main knockout cup competition in Kazakhstan football, run by the Football Union of Kazakhstan. The tournament was initially founded in 1936 as a competition for clubs in the Kazakh SSR but did not become a proper national competition until 1992.-Winners of Kazakh SSR Cup...
, 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
FC Kairat Almaty
FC Kairat Almaty is a Kazakh football club, playing in Almaty Central Stadium, Almaty.Like many clubs in the Soviet Union they went through a number of name changes in their history. They were known Dinamo Almaty when founded in 1952, before changing in 1954 to Lokomotiv Almaty, and later Urozhai...
went on to make history in 1960 by becoming the first Kazakh side to compete in the Soviet Top League
Soviet Top League
The Soviet Top League since 1970 was officially known as the Supreme League serving as the top division of Soviet Union football since 1936.It was one of the best football leagues in Europe ranking second among the UEFA members in 1988-1989 seasons...
and made further history in 1963 by reaching the semi-finals of the Soviet Cup
Soviet Cup
The Soviet Cup, or USSR Cup , was the premier football cup competition in the Soviet Union.-Finals:-Performance by club:-Performance by republic:-References:*, rsssf.com. Accessed on 16 May 2006....
, 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
Soviet First League
The Soviet First League was the second highest division of Soviet football, below the Soviet Top League. The division lasted from the inception of Soviet league football in 1936 to the dissolution of the USSR in 1991.-Overview:...
in 1976.
No Kazakh footballer had represented the USSR
USSR national football team
The Soviet Union National Football Team was the national football team of the Soviet Union. It ceased to exist after the break up of the Union...
until 1977 when FC Kairat defender Seilda Baishakov
Seilda Baishakov
Seilda Ikramovich Baishakov is a retired Soviet professional football player.Baishakov played seven seasons in the Soviet Top League and made nearly 300 league appearances for FC Kairat during his career.-International career:...
made his debut in a FIFA World Cup
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
qualifier against Hungary
Hungary national football team
The Hungary national football team represents Hungary in international football and is controlled by the Hungarian Football Federation....
. 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
Evgeni Jarovenko
Evgeny Yarovenko is a retired Soviet professional footballer from Kazakhstan. He is currently coach of FC Naftovyk-Ukrnafta Okhtyrka.-Career statistics:-References:...
also added to the honours as a member of the victorious Soviet side at the 1988 Summer Olympics
1988 Summer Olympics
The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were an all international multi-sport events celebrated from September 17 to October 2, 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. They were the second summer Olympic Games to be held in Asia and the first since the 1964 Summer Olympics...
.
After the fall of the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, a Football Association of the Republic of Kazakhstan was set up in 1992 and soon accepted into FIFA
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
and the Asian Football Confederation
Asian Football Confederation
The Asian Football Confederation is the governing body of association football in Asia. It has 46 member countries, mostly located on the Asian continent. However, due to the disputed boundary of Europe and Asia, nations such as Russia and Turkey which are located mostly in geographic Asia are...
. The national team debuted soon afterwards and individual Kazakh competitions were established. The re-named FFK went on to join UEFA
UEFA
The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer....
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 divisionKazakhstan First Division
The Kazakhstan First Division is the second division of football in Kazakhstan. The League is controlled by the Football Union of Kazakhstan and feeds into the Kazakhstan Premier League, having been founded in 1994. It runs from spring and to late autumn, making each championship correspond to a...
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
Kazakhstan Cup
The Kazakhstan Cup is the main knockout cup competition in Kazakhstan football, run by the Football Union of Kazakhstan. The tournament was initially founded in 1936 as a competition for clubs in the Kazakh SSR but did not become a proper national competition until 1992.-Winners of Kazakh SSR Cup...
is also competed for, while successful clubs gain entry to the early rounds of the UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
and the UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
.
National team
Although they participated in matches against other Republics of the Soviet UnionRepublics of the Soviet Union
The Republics of the Soviet Union or the Union Republics of the Soviet Union were ethnically-based administrative units that were subordinated directly to the Government of the Soviet Union...
the Kazakhstan team did not make their official debut until June 1 1992 when they defeated Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan national football team
The Turkmenistan national football team is the national team of Turkmenistan and is controlled by the Football Federation of Turkmenistan.-History:After the country gained independence, they played their first match against Kazakhstan on June 1, 1992...
1-0. Based at the Almaty Central Stadium
Almaty Central Stadium
The Almaty Central Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Almaty, Kazakhstan. It is currently used mostly for football matches. The stadium is shared by FC Kairat Almaty. It also serves the home stadium for the Kazakhstan national football team....
, they have yet to qualify for a major tournament.
Champions during Soviet era (1936-91)
A Kazakh SSRKazakh SSR
The Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic , also known as the Kazakh SSR for short, was one of republics that made up the Soviet Union.At in area, it was the second largest constituent republic in the USSR, after the Russian SFSR. Its capital was Alma-Ata . Today it is the independent state of...
championship was founded in 1936 with no Kazakh clubs competing in the Soviet Top League
Soviet Top League
The Soviet Top League since 1970 was officially known as the Supreme League serving as the top division of Soviet Union football since 1936.It was one of the best football leagues in Europe ranking second among the UEFA members in 1988-1989 seasons...
. The winners of this competition were:
1936-81
|
FC Avangard FC Avangard are a Kazakhstani football club based in Petropavl. The club won the second level in 2006 and so were promoted to the Kazakhstan Super League. Despite this financial constraints meant that the club were incapable of accepting the promotion.... FC Semey FC Spartak Semey are a Kazakhstani football club based in Semey. A leading club in the early years of the Kazakhstan Premier League, and under the name Yelimay they were three-time champions of Kazakhstan in 1994, 1995 and 1998... FC Aktobe FC Aktobe are a Kazakh football club based at the Central Stadium in Aktobe. Current members and four-time champions of the Kazakhstani Premier League, they also won the country's second level league – First Division – in 2000.-Name history:... FC Okzhetpes Football Club Okzhetpes Kokshetau are a Kazakhstani football based in the Torpedo Stadium in Kokshetau. The club currently play in the Kazakhstan Premier League.... FC Ulytau FC Ulytau are a defunct Kazakhstani football based in Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan. They were members of the Kazakhstan First Division.-Name History:*1967 : Founded as Yenbek*1975 : The club is renamed Gornyak*1980 : The club is renamed Dzhezkazganets... |
FC Ulytau FC Ulytau are a defunct Kazakhstani football based in Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan. They were members of the Kazakhstan First Division.-Name History:*1967 : Founded as Yenbek*1975 : The club is renamed Gornyak*1980 : The club is renamed Dzhezkazganets... FC Irtysh FC Irtysh are a Kazakh football club based at the Central Stadium in Pavlodar. The most successful club in the country since independence, Irtysh won the Kazakhstan Premier league in 1993 , 1997, 1999, 2002 and 2003. They are also founding members of the top league and never relegated to lower... FC Ulytau FC Ulytau are a defunct Kazakhstani football based in Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan. They were members of the Kazakhstan First Division.-Name History:*1967 : Founded as Yenbek*1975 : The club is renamed Gornyak*1980 : The club is renamed Dzhezkazganets... FC Ordabasy FC Ordabasy is a football club from Kazakhstan based at the K. Munaitpasov Stadium in Shymkent. Formed in 1998, it is currently a member of the Kazakhstan Premier league.-History:... FC Caspiy FC Caspiy is a Kazakhstani football club based at the Zhastar Stadium in Aktau. The club name derived from Caspian Sea . They play in the First Division. Their best year was 1996, when they finished 4th in Premier League and reached semi-finals of Kazakhstan Cup... FC Ordabasy FC Ordabasy is a football club from Kazakhstan based at the K. Munaitpasov Stadium in Shymkent. Formed in 1998, it is currently a member of the Kazakhstan Premier league.-History:... |
1980-81. Zone 7, 3rd level of Soviet football, including Kazakhstan and other Central Asia
Central Asia
Central Asia is a core region of the Asian continent from the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north...
n teams
- 1980 - Traktor PavlodarFC IrtyshFC Irtysh are a Kazakh football club based at the Central Stadium in Pavlodar. The most successful club in the country since independence, Irtysh won the Kazakhstan Premier league in 1993 , 1997, 1999, 2002 and 2003. They are also founding members of the top league and never relegated to lower...
- 1981 - Aktyubinets AktobeFC AktobeFC Aktobe are a Kazakh football club based at the Central Stadium in Aktobe. Current members and four-time champions of the Kazakhstani Premier League, they also won the country's second level league – First Division – in 2000.-Name history:...
1982-91. Zone 8, 3rd level of Soviet football, including only Kazakhstan teams
- 1982 - Shakhter KaragandyFC Shakhter"FC Shakhter" redirects here. For other uses, see Shakhtar .FC Shakhter are a Kazakh football based in the Shakhtyor Stadium in Karagandy. They have been members of the Kazakhstan Premier League since its foundation in 1992...
- 1983 - Shakhter KaragandyFC Shakhter"FC Shakhter" redirects here. For other uses, see Shakhtar .FC Shakhter are a Kazakh football based in the Shakhtyor Stadium in Karagandy. They have been members of the Kazakhstan Premier League since its foundation in 1992...
- 1984 - Tselinnik TselinogradFC AstanaFC Astana-64 are a Kazakhstani football club based at the K.Munaitpasov Stadium in Astana. Founding members of the Kazakhstan Premier League, they were relegated to First Division for the first time in 2009 after being declared bankrupt...
- 1985 - Meliorator ShymkentFC OrdabasyFC Ordabasy is a football club from Kazakhstan based at the K. Munaitpasov Stadium in Shymkent. Formed in 1998, it is currently a member of the Kazakhstan Premier league.-History:...
- 1986 - Meliorator ShymkentFC OrdabasyFC Ordabasy is a football club from Kazakhstan based at the K. Munaitpasov Stadium in Shymkent. Formed in 1998, it is currently a member of the Kazakhstan Premier league.-History:...
- 1987 - Meliorator ShymkentFC OrdabasyFC Ordabasy is a football club from Kazakhstan based at the K. Munaitpasov Stadium in Shymkent. Formed in 1998, it is currently a member of the Kazakhstan Premier league.-History:...
- 1988 - Traktor PavlodarFC IrtyshFC Irtysh are a Kazakh football club based at the Central Stadium in Pavlodar. The most successful club in the country since independence, Irtysh won the Kazakhstan Premier league in 1993 , 1997, 1999, 2002 and 2003. They are also founding members of the top league and never relegated to lower...
- 1989 - Traktor PavlodarFC IrtyshFC Irtysh are a Kazakh football club based at the Central Stadium in Pavlodar. The most successful club in the country since independence, Irtysh won the Kazakhstan Premier league in 1993 , 1997, 1999, 2002 and 2003. They are also founding members of the top league and never relegated to lower...
- 1990 - Vostok OskemenFC VostokFC Vostok is a Kazakh football club from Oskemen , a founding member of the Kazakhstan Premier League since 1992. The club's biggest achieved position in the league is the 5th place in 1997 and 1998...
- 1991 - Aktyubinets AktobeFC AktobeFC Aktobe are a Kazakh football club based at the Central Stadium in Aktobe. Current members and four-time champions of the Kazakhstani Premier League, they also won the country's second level league – First Division – in 2000.-Name history:...