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.
Kazakhstan’s largest city, Almaty, took UEFA’s premier competition further east than ever before. Local club Kairat made history as the easternmost team to reach the Champions League, hosting a match more than 13 hours by plane from Madrid — one of the tournament’s most remote fixtures.
An unexpected UEFA draw brought one of the world’s most titled teams, Real Madrid, to Kazakhstan — and the nation went wild with anticipation. Tickets sold out within hours, leaving hundreds of thousands of fans without tickets to the dream game.
The announcement set off a wave of excitement across Kazakhstan, both online and offline. AI-generated Mbappé memes flooded social media, showing him in traditional dress and sampling local dishes — symbols of the warm welcome reserved for honoured guests. Meanwhile, the city was painted in the club’s yellow and black colours.
On match day, lines stretched far beyond the Central Stadium, with people from across the country still hoping to find tickets. The atmosphere was electric, with faces painted in team emblems, flags waving and scarves raised high in anticipation of the historic match.
Why the buzz?
The last time Kazakhstan experienced UEFA group-stage hysteria was in 2015, when capital Astana’s local team advanced to that level for the first time. Since then, the excitement had quietened — until Almaty’s Kairat stunned Scotland’s Celtic in the Champions League play-off. The victory not only revived the country’s football dreams but also earned Kairat the right to face one of the world’s most titled clubs — Real Madrid.
When the Champions League draw revealed that Kairat would play against Real Madrid, emotions ran high inside the Almaty club. The moment the players heard the news, they erupted in cheers — a celebration the team proudly shared online.
Founded in 1954 in Almaty, Kairat has long been a symbol of Kazakh football. It remains the only local team ever to play in the Soviet Top League and has become a four-time national champion. Slowly but steadily, the club is turning into a source of international football talent. Next season, 17-year-old Kairat striker Dastan Satpayev will transfer to Chelsea — a milestone for both the player and Kazakh football.
Real Madrid arrives in Almaty
The Spanish team arrived in Almaty in a subdued mood after suffering their first La Liga defeat of the season to Atlético. During the pre-match press conference, midfielder Federico Valverde spoke about the team’s mindset.
“We’ve talked a lot about our mistakes. The defeat was painful, and we want to come back stronger. We know we’re about to play a serious match against Kairat.”
Speculation before the match centred on the long flight and Almaty’s weather — but the city greeted the Spanish team with sunshine and hospitality. The journey was indeed long, more than 6,000 kilometres from Madrid, with little time for recovery between matches. Still, coach Xabi Alonso told reporters, “The team is tired after the long flight, but there should be no excuses.”
The long-awaited match
The stands of Almaty’s Central Stadium were packed, with the roar of the home crowd lifting Kairat’s spirits as the players pressed forward from the first minutes. Coach Xabi Alonso later described those opening moments as uncomfortable for his team.
“At the start of the match, Kairat’s intensity surprised us. There were moments when it wasn’t easy — episodes that could have thrown us off balance. But we stayed focused on our goal to win.”
However, Kairat couldn’t find a way past Real’s defence. The visitors dominated and secured a 5–0 victory. Yet even this runaway score didn’t disappoint Kairat’s coach, Rafael Urazbakhtin. Speaking at the post-match press conference, he said it was all about valuable experience.
“We’re simply in different weight categories — that’s something we have to accept. We gained priceless experience playing against such an opponent. Of course, it’s always painful to lose; it’s hard for any team. But we have to take this result as it is. We tried, we pushed and at times we played well — probably well enough to deserve one goal, but we couldn’t finish our chances.”
A tourism boost for Almaty
Beyond football, the event left a lasting impact on the city itself. According to Almaty’s mayor’s office, the event drew tens of thousands of domestic visitors, including more than 5,000 tourists from abroad. Most international fans arrived from China, India, Russia, Japan, the United Kingdom, Spain and several other countries.
City officials said the match had a substantial economic impact, with Mastercard data showing foreign tourists spent an average of about 1,300 euros during their stay. Those expenses — from hotels and restaurants to transport, leisure and shopping — gave a notable boost to the city’s service sector. Hotel occupancy reached record seasonal levels, according to the mayor’s office.
According to the “Kazakh Tourism” National Company, major sporting events like this are a part of Kazakhstan’s sports tourism development strategy. And it’s not just professional competitions that contribute. Acting Chairman Daniyel Serzhanuly explains:
“The Almaty Marathon this year gathered 16,000 runners, including nearly 2,000 foreign travelers from 30 countries. So, it was a huge economic impact. We can also look at smaller events, such as the marathon in Turkistan. October is a low season for Turkistan, only 2,000 runners attended — most of them from neighboring countries and other regions of Kazakhstan. These events help support the local tourism industry during the off-peak season.”
Big or small, these events are putting Kazakhstan on the global sports map — turning casual visitors into returning travelers and inspiring many to choose the country for their next adventure.
