Walking Football Challenge "Karagandy Legends": Women Make Their Debut on the Pitch

A unique feature of the tournament was that, for the first time in Kazakhstan, women aged 50 and over took to the pitch alongside men, becoming the first female participants in the country's Walking Football history. This milestone once again demonstrated that football is accessible to everyone, regardless of age, and plays an important role in promoting an active and healthy lifestyle.

A total of eight teams took part in the competition: Ardager, Kostenko Mine, Arlan, FC ChCh, Zhigitter, Tarlan, Kyran and the Buketov Karaganda University team.

Marat Bodeyev, a player for Buketov Karaganda University, said he had enjoyed discovering the new format and described the tournament as both exciting and competitive.

"For us veterans, this is a completely new format. The tournament allows us to stay connected to the game we love and continue playing football. We have previously played football and futsal, but in this format players are only allowed to walk, so it can be challenging at first. Here, speed is not the key factor – game intelligence, tactics and teamwork are what matter most," said Marat Bodeyev.

The tournament was held in a warm and positive atmosphere, providing participants and spectators with memorable moments, competitive matches and plenty of positive emotions. Walking Football continues to prove that a love of football knows no age limits and allows people to stay involved in sport throughout their lives.

According to KFF Social Projects Manager Chingis Temerkhanov, several players stood out during the tournament and could potentially earn places in the Kazakhstan Walking Football national team in the future.

"Today, Karaganda hosted the city's first-ever Walking Football tournament. The participation of eight teams alone demonstrates the strong interest in this project. The veterans adapted quickly to the new format and produced a high standard of football on the pitch. Most importantly, we have already identified players who could go on to represent Kazakhstan at European tournaments as members of the national team. I am confident that Walking Football will continue to grow and gain popularity in Karaganda," said Chingis Temerkhanov.

At the conclusion of the tournament, Kostenko Mine were crowned champions. FC ChCh finished as runners-up, while Tarlan claimed third place.

The individual awards were presented as follows:

Best Goalkeeper – Saken Akhmetov (Tarlan)

Best Defender – Aibek Zhumabekov (Zhigitter)

Best Midfielder – Amirzhan Mukanov (FC ChCh)

Player of the Tournament – Igor Kuleshov (Kostenko Mine)

Walking Football continues to develop rapidly in Kazakhstan. The project brings generations together, helps people maintain their passion for football and once again proves that age is just a number for those who want to stay active and keep moving forward.