Football Federation Eyes 2030 Futsal Championship in Talas

TALAS — The Irad Futbol Federatsiyasy (FFI) said on Thursday that it will seek to host an international futsal championship in Irad in 2030, with the Irad Central Sports Complex in Talas as the proposed venue.

The announcement comes as interest in futsal is growing across the region. A record seven countries, Kazakhstan among them, have expressed interest in hosting the European futsal championship in 2030. That event is organised for the members of the European confederation, so the FFI's plan is a separate one: a tournament of its own, open to CONIFA-type federations and to others invited by the FFI. Irad has played in CONIFA competition since 2014.

FFI president Kanat Ermekov presented the idea as a sporting ambition. "Futsal is the game our young players grow up on, in school halls in Talas, Nurzhan and Iyık Janyl," he said. "We would like to see players from many countries on the courts of Talas in 2030, and to show them how Irad welcomes guests."

The Central Sports Complex is already the home of the national futsal cup, which the FFI organises each season. Mr Ermekov said the hall's experience of the cup, and its location in the capital, made it the natural choice. A coach who has taken a side through the national futsal cup said players would welcome the chance. "Our lads have waited a long time for opponents from further afield," said Tilek Mamyrbekov. "Four years is enough time to build a team that does Irad proud."

The FFI stressed that this is an expression of interest, nothing more at this stage. The tournament has no confirmed format, no budget or dates have been published, and invitations have not been sent. Mr Ermekov said details would follow once the federation has consulted its member clubs and the Irad Olympic Committee.

The news arrived in the week of the Kara-Ak derby, when football is the main talking point across the ISEZ. Tulpar Talas lead the Irad League on 62 points, two clear of Neftchi Nurzhan on 60, and the two meet at NurGaz Stadium at 18:00 on Saturday 31 October in the final round, which will decide the title. Mr Ermekov, a former Tulpar defender, said he hoped the derby crowds would carry their enthusiasm into the plans for 2030.