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Kairat Almaty takes UEFA Champions League to Central Asia

Real Madrid’s visit to Kazakhstan became a national celebration and a major tourism boost, as Europe’s elite stage reached Almaty for the first time.

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READ MORE : http://www.euronews.com/2025/11/05/kazakh-football-fans-cheer-as-almatys-fc-kairat-makes-champions-league-debut

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00:00Bridging east and west, Kazakhstan steps into the spotlight of European football.
00:05For the first time, an unexpected draw brings Real Madrid,
00:09one of the world's most titled teams, to face Almaty's football club Kairat.
00:14This game takes the Champions League to its easternmost point ever
00:18and could redefine Kazakh football identity.
00:21Welcome to Kazakhstan, welcome to modern nomads!
00:30Surrounded by the awe-inspiring Tian Shan mountains, Almaty in south-eastern Kazakhstan
00:36is more than 6,000 km away from Madrid, home of the legendary football club.
00:42Now, the city opens its doors to a top-tier team and gets ready for the big game.
00:47Our stadium is unique. It has the base of a sand,
00:52which is filled with artificial molecules, 20 cm.
00:56What gives the air to the air to be strong, and it is safe to any load.
01:01In any climate conditions, this air is ready to take any match.
01:08Tickets for the match sold out in just 4 hours.
01:11Nearly a million fans queued online, hoping to get in.
01:15But only 22,800 were lucky enough.
01:19That's all the stadium can hold.
01:21And the excitement is easy to understand.
01:23Real Madrid is one of the world's top football teams.
01:27After the Real Kairat match was announced, KazNet exploded with speculation.
01:32Would Kylian Mbappé come to Kazakhstan?
01:34Soon social media was flooded with AI-generated clips of Mbappé in traditional Kazakh robe,
01:40tasting local dishes.
01:42In Kazakhstan, such gestures show respect for honored guests.
01:45Some businesses took it even further, using playful Mbappé memes to promote their products.
01:51Like this one.
01:52It wasn't just the fans who went wild over Real Madrid's visit to Kazakhstan.
01:57The players of Almaty's Kairat football club did too.
02:01Concerns that Kylian Mbappé might skip the trip were quickly dismissed.
02:08He arrived in Almaty with Real Madrid's star-studded squad.
02:12The city is bubbling with football fever and for one day it's painted in yellow and black,
02:18the colors of the local team.
02:20Kairat champion!
02:22Kairat champion!
02:24Guys, who are you rooting for tonight?
02:26Kairat!
02:28Hey guys, who's gonna win tonight?
02:30Kairat definitely.
02:32Fans found different ways to show their hopes.
02:35Some bought merchandise, others painted their faces.
02:38Everyone wanted to show their faith in the team.
02:41As for me, I'm a journalist, so I'll stay neutral.
02:44Emotions kept rising as the match drew closer.
02:47Roads were blocked and the entire perimeter was packed with people.
02:51Lines stretched far beyond the stadium.
02:54Did you get a ticket?
02:55We couldn't buy a ticket because it was a huge amount.
03:00But we have a chance to buy it now.
03:04The ticket was 70 years old.
03:09If we were to go to Real Madrid, we would have to go to Real Madrid.
03:13We would have to go to Real Madrid.
03:15Despite the dramatic loss to Real Madrid,
03:19Kazakhstan gained something far bigger.
03:21A surge of global attention that's already boosting sports tourism.
03:26According to our data,
03:28Almaty was hosting about 5200 tourists at one time
03:37during this game between Kairat and Real Madrid.
03:42Mostly coming from China, it was the top one next to Russia, India.
03:48We can count this as an immediate effect,
03:51which generated roughly about US$7 million to the economy of the city.
03:58And it's not just about major sports.
04:00Marathons have become another engine of sports tourism in Kazakhstan,
04:04with many events now drawing international participants.
04:08This year, the Almaty Marathon brought together 16,000 runners,
04:12including nearly 1,500 from abroad.
04:15Set against the city's iconic mountain backdrop,
04:18the race feels both demanding and accessible.
04:21Smaller events may attract fewer people, but they are no less authentic.
04:25October is low season for Turkestan.
04:27Only 2,000 runners attending this marathon in Turkestan.
04:33But these 2,000, most of them coming from neighboring countries,
04:37and from other cities of Kazakhstan.
04:40And it helps to support the tourism business during this off-pick season.
04:45Big or small, these events are putting Kazakhstan on the global sports map,
04:49turning casual visitors into returning travelers
04:52and inspiring many to choose the country for their next adventure.
04:56We'll see you in the next adventure.
04:57We'll see you in the next adventure.
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