Football Federation of Kazakhstan

The Football Federation of Kazakhstan (Kazakh: Қазақстанның Футбол Федерациясы, romanized: Qazaqstannyń Fýtbol Federatsııasy; Russian: Федерация Футбола Казахстана, tr. Federatsiya Futbola Kazakhstana) is the governing body of football in Kazakhstan. It organizes the football league, the Kazakhstan Premier League, and the Kazakhstan national football team. It is based in Almaty.

Football Federation of Kazakhstan
UEFA
Founded1914[1]/1992
FIFA affiliation1994
UEFA affiliation2002
PresidentErlan Kozhagapanov
Websitehttp://www.kff.kz/

Previous names
  • Football Association of the Republic of Kazakhstan (1992–2000)
  • Football Union of Kazakhstan (2000–2007)
  • Football Federation of Kazakhstan (2007–present)

History

The Football Federation Kazakhstan was founded in 1992 with the reorganization of the Soviet Republican Football Association of the Kazakh SSR (created in 1989).[2] The same year (1992) the Football Association of Kazakhstan became an associate member of FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) (or in 1993[3]). Its foundation marked the beginning of organising the Kazakh football according to international standards. F.F.K. has developed into the biggest sport federation of the country, football in Kazakhstan being regarded as the "king of sports", occupying first place in sport fans' preferences.

In 1992, the federation conducted various professional level competitions, such as the national league championship and the cup. While being an associate member, the Football Federation of Kazakhstan was not permitted to participate in official international competitions for national teams, therefore in mid to late 1992 and April 1994 it participated in regional competitions along with its former Central Asian companions of the Soviet Union from Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan.[4] In 1994 the F.F.K. was finally accepted as a full member of FIFA and the AFC. The decision to join the AFC was taken after a vote. The first national team match with a team outside Central Asia took place in December 1995. The same year Oleg Litvinenko, representing Kazakhstan, was recognized as the best Asian player (for the month of October).

In 2000, the Football Federation of Kazakhstan became a candidate member of UEFA, and obtained its full membership on 25 April 2002 at the UEFA Congress in Stockholm, Sweden.[5][6]

In 2008, the federation established a major U-17 tournament, the Kazakhstan President Cup. Spain won it in 2014 and 2015.

See also

References
  1. "ОСНОВНЫЕ ВЕХИ ИСТОРИИ КАЗАХСТАНСКОГО ФУТБОЛА, 1991-1995". Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2011-02-10.
  2. "ОСНОВНЫЕ ВЕХИ ИСТОРИИ КАЗАХСТАНСКОГО ФУТБОЛА, 1971-1989". Archived from the original on 2015-07-03. Retrieved 2011-02-10.
  3. "AFC membership reaches 44". New Straits Times (Google News Archive). 30 April 1993.
  4. Kazakhstan International Matches - Details 1992-1999 Archived 2008-08-21 at the Wayback Machine
  5. "UEFA delegation visit Kazakhstan". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 26 June 2002. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
  6. "UEFA Congress" (PDF). UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
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