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ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev met with Atletico Madrid Chief Executive Officer Miguel Ángel Gil Marín to discuss expanding cooperation in football development, infrastructure and youth training in Kazakhstan, according to the presidential press service.
From L to T: Atletico Madrid Chief Executive Officer Miguel Ángel Gil Marín and President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. Photo credit: Akorda.
Tokayev praised the existing partnership with the Spanish football club, expressing confidence that Gil Marín’s visit would help take cooperation to a new level. Kazakhstan is investing in modern football infrastructure, training facilities and youth development programs while continuing the privatization of most domestic football clubs, Tokayev said.
He also highlighted ongoing work with FIFA to build more than 100 new football pitches for children across the country. During the meeting, Tokayev praised the achievements of Spain’s national team and its football development system, expressing interest in studying and applying Spanish expertise to train a new generation of Kazakh players.
Gil Marín thanked Tokayev for his attention to promoting football in Kazakhstan. He also spoke positively about Atletico Madrid’s academy infrastructure in the Almaty Region, saying it could eventually become one of the leading football training complexes.
Kazakhstan’s growing role in European football
Kazakhstan is also seeking to host UEFA Futsal EURO 2030, having joined six other bidders, such as Croatia, Finland, France, Georgia, Poland and Spain. According to UEFA, final bid dossiers must be submitted by June 8, 2027, with the host association scheduled to be appointed in September 2027.
Kazakhstan has already secured several major UEFA events. Astana will host the 51st UEFA Congress and the UEFA European Under-19 Futsal Championship in 2027. Astana Arena is also scheduled to host the UEFA Super Cup in 2028.
Kazakhstan has established itself as a competitive force in futsal as Almaty’s Kairat has won the UEFA Futsal Cup twice, while the national team reached the semifinals of the FIFA Futsal World Cup and won bronze at the European Championship. Kazakhstan currently ranks eighth in the world and is competing for qualification for the 2028 World Cup.
Kazakh football officials have also received UEFA appointments for matches in European club competitions during the 2026-2027 season. Olzhas Abraev will serve as a UEFA delegate for the Champions League match between Türkiye’s Fenerbahçe and the Czech Republic’s Slavia Prague. Alexander Keplin, deputy general secretary of the Kazakhstan Football Federation, will oversee the Europa League match between Armenia’s Ararat-Armenia and the Netherlands’ AZ Alkmaar.
Ayan Alzhanov, head of the federation’s international relations department, has been appointed delegate for the Conference League match between Georgia’s Iberia and Sweden’s Mjällby.
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