President Tokayev was briefed on the center’s operations, currently in its pilot phase, with eight certified trainers already engaged in training 50 students. Founder of “Smart Football”, Murat Medeuov, shared plans for the football academy to expand its reach, aiming to train up to 1,000 children aged 5 to 12.
Footlab, an interactive football platform designed for sports enthusiasts, family recreation, and organizing tournaments, is a Portuguese franchise with its headquarters in Lisbon. This global initiative, created by renowned Portuguese football players Rui Costa and Cristiano Ronaldo in collaboration with the innovative company 7EGEND, has now expanded to over 60 countries worldwide. Almaty’s center, the third of its kind, follows previous openings in Lisbon and Dubai, with private investments totaling over 1.5 billion tenge.
Anticipating over 50,000 visitors this year and hosting school tournaments to promote sports and a healthy lifestyle, the center aims to become a hub for technology-driven sports development. Investors plan to establish a network of similar centers across the country.
President Tokayev, impressed by the initiative, directed responsible authorities to support the allocation of land for the children’s sports project. Additionally, he expressed support for a similar football center to be established in Astana, demonstrating the government’s commitment to fostering sports infrastructure and youth development.
Wishing success to the aspiring young footballers, President Tokayev left his autograph on a T-shirt as a memorable token of his visit.
