eKPL eFootball League Grand Final Held in Kazakhstan for the First Time
The season consisted of three stages: club qualifiers, an online championship, and the decisive LAN final in Karaganda. Eight Kazakhstani clubs reached the final stage: Shakhter, Kairat, Ulytau, Ertis, Atyrau, Kaisar, Astana and Zhenis. All matches were played in a knockout (BO1) format with 9-minute halves.
In the third-place match, Ulytau representative Amir Zhelkibayev defeated his Zhenis opponent to claim the bronze medal. In the Grand Final, Olzhas Yesentayev (Kairat) faced Daniyar Sharabadin (Shakhter) for the title. The Karaganda-based esports player emerged victorious, securing a spot at the international eChampions League, where he will represent Kazakhstan in England this May.
“Thank you to everyone for the congratulations. The final was extremely difficult — one of the toughest matches of my life. To be honest, I didn’t do by best, but I still felt the win would be mine.
We always analyse each opponent in advance and prepare accordingly. I expected the game to unfold like this. Overall, it should have been easier, but nerves made it more complicated, and in the end I managed to win 3–2.
The upcoming international tournament is a completely different level. At the moment, I’m not fully ready yet. However, there are two months ahead, and if possible, I will try to prepare in Europe and reach a higher level.
I would like to thank the federation for this opportunity. Special thanks also to our team managers, Yevgeniya and Aidyn — their support means a lot to us,” said Daniyar Sharabadin.
The Kazakhstan Football Federation views this project as one of the new directions in the development of domestic football. Esports football represents a meeting point of modern technology and traditional sport, helping to engage young audiences, build a new fan base, and expand the country’s football ecosystem.
