Inclusive football event takes place in Astana
Around 90 children and teenagers with autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy and other developmental conditions from ten regions of Kazakhstan took part in the tournament, along with their parents and coaches.
The project aims to ensure equal access to sport for children with mental disabilities and to support their social inclusion. The matches were played in a 5+1 format, with each game lasting 15 minutes.
According to the project’s founder, Chingiz Temirkhanov, participation in the Uni Football League helps children develop and shows visible progress.
“At first it was hard — during the first sessions we literally held the children by the hand. Now they perform drills designed for players aged 10–12. For the tournament, we created special rules — no yellow or red cards, no penalties. The referees on the pitch have received special training to work with children with special needs,” Temirkhanov said.
Parents also came to watch the matches. Aplaton Daumov from Almaty, the grandfather of ''Almaty Uni'' player Abylai Daumov:
“I’m retired, and my main job now is taking my grandchildren to these sessions. I came to support Abylai. Since joining the league, he’s become more open and confident — we’ve seen real positive changes. Thanks to the organisers for their attention to special children,” Daumov said.
Erlan Argynbayev, coach of Taraz Uni, highlighted the positive impact football has on the children’s psychological well-being:
“At first they didn’t understand what to do with the ball. Now they can receive it and pass. Football helps develop thinking and coordination,” Argynbayev noted.
As the tournament was inclusive, no winners were determined — all participants received medals and commemorative gifts.
The event marked an important step in promoting inclusion and equality in sport across Kazakhstan.
The Uni Football League project has been implemented since 2023 with the support of the Kazakhstan Football Federation (KFF), the Freedom Shapagat Corporate Foundation, and the Bolashak Charity Public Foundation. The organisation of the tournament was carried out with the assistance of the Akimat of Astana and the Embassy of Spain in Kazakhstan.
