ASTANA — Almaty expects up to 5,000 tourists for the historic football match between Kazakhstan’s FC Kairat and Spain’s Real Madrid, scheduled for Sept. 30 at the Central Stadium. The event is set to become one of the largest in the country’s sporting calendar.
Central Stadium in Almaty. Photo credit: olympic.kz
According to Minister of Tourism and Sports Yerbol Myrzabossynov, Kazakhstan’s infrastructure is fully prepared to host an event of this scale. The Central Stadium meets UEFA’s fourth-category standards, making it suitable for matches involving Europe’s top clubs.
“We are ready, our infrastructure is ready. Moreover, Real Madrid, one of the world’s strongest teams, will come to Almaty, and there will be quotas from UEFA,” he said, reported Kazinform on Sept. 2.
He said that such matches not only strengthen Kazakhstan’s international image but also stimulate event tourism and encourage the development of domestic football.
The Kairat vs Real Madrid match will kick off at 9.45 p.m. Astana time.
Expanding infrastructure for future events
To sustain growth in tourism and sport, Kazakhstan is expanding its sports infrastructure. A new stadium is planned in Almaty, while project documentation for arenas in seven other cities has already been completed.
A third-category UEFA stadium will be commissioned in Kyzylorda this fall, with further facilities under construction across the regions. Myrzabossynov noted that financing will primarily rely on private investment, in line with international best practices.
