In 1992, a new era began in the history of Kazakhstan. Along with gaining independence, this country got the opportunity to play its own national championships in all sports, including football.
Football of Kazakhstan at that time belonged to the Asian Confederation of Football, where, after joining FIFA in 1994, the national team of this country was determined. She tried unsuccessfully to break into the world championship in matches with teams from other Asian countries. Since 2002, Kazakhstan’s football has come under the auspices of UEFA, however, it has not gained success in trying to break into both the continental championships and the world teams.
National championship
The Kazakhstan Football Championship is distinguished from other European championships by a rather sophisticated formula for holding competitions.
A dozen teams at the first stage play the usual two-round tournament, and after all 22 rounds, the squads are divided into two sixes in accordance with the occupied places:
- Clubs that took places from 1 to 6 are fighting for medals and for getting into Eurocups.
- The teams that finished in the second six are fighting for survival in the strongest division.
Championship regulations
The main provisions of the competition regulations are as follows:
- The composition of the participants is determined by the Executive Committee, now it is 12 teams.
- The club, which took the last, 12th place, falls to the First League for the next season, and the team that succeeds in it replaces it.
- The penultimate, 11th team plays a butt match for the right to remain in the elite division with the club, which took second place in the First League.
Club football of Kazakhstan is characterized by financial instability, because there were cases when those who deserved the right to play in the top division of the team for material reasons could not confirm their participation in it. The decision to replace such teams is also made in the Executive Committee.
Lineup requirements
According to the regulations, each club has the right to declare 30 players for the championship, including the names of at least 22 people who were brought up by the football of Kazakhstan. Moreover, if there are only 21 students in the club, then only 29 players can declare for the season. The application for each match must contain the names of at least 13 students.
Each club can apply for the championship no more than 8 players who are representatives of other states, but at the same time only 6 of them have the right to be on the field.
Each team has the right to enter up to 25 players under the age of 20, as well as no more than 10 people over 16 years of age to participate in the youth championship of Kazakhstan.
For a championship match, any soccer team (Kazakhstan), the tournament table of which involves intrigue in every match from the first to the last round, can include in the application the names of 20 people - 11 players leaving the starting lineup, as well as 9 substitutes waiting for their turn strengthen the game.
Clubs are required to include in the minutes of each match at least two players no older than 20 years of age who are pupils of Kazakhstani football.
Player Registration
In the football championship of Kazakhstan there are only two periods when clubs are allowed to declare and add new players:
- From 00 hours 00 minutes January 11 to 24-00 hours April 3, according to the time of the capital of the state, the city of Astana.
- The second period is determined by the Executive Committee and is not tied to specific dates.
Additional applications are permitted based on the interests of clubs representing the country in European cup tournaments, as well as the national team.
Judging by the recent successes of Kazakhstani club football, in particular, by getting Astana in the Champions League group stage, measures to develop football in this country are beginning to bear fruit. True, it is worth noting that in the European Cups there are no restrictions on the “legionnaires” , and all foreign players can act in the composition at once.