David Elleray: “The KAZCORE Programme Is an Important Milestone in the Development of Refereeing in Kazakhstan”

- The UEFA CORE programme has been implemented for 16 years, a specialised centre operates with the aim of improving quality and developing refereeing. In a number of national associations, the project is being expanded step by step, and I am pleased that there is now an opportunity to implement it in Kazakhstan as well.

The KAZCORE programme was created with the goal of the systematic development of young referees at both national and international levels. The project has started successfully: four young referees took part in the first session and demonstrated a high level of motivation for learning and professional growth. The participants were introduced to the philosophy of the KAZCORE programme. Subsequently, instructors, FIFA referees, futsal referees, and VAR officials joined the programme and will mentor and support the participants throughout the educational process.

In addition, official FIFA badges for 2026 were presented. Two further sessions are planned within the programme. The first will focus on the philosophy and evolution of the Laws of the Game—the foundations of refereeing. The second session will be dedicated to video analysis of match incidents.

Even at this stage, it is clear that the participants show great interest in learning and are fully engaged in the process. We understand that refereeing in Kazakhstan is developing at a rapid pace, and the launch of the KAZCORE programme is an important step in this direction,” David Elleray emphasised.