European club competition revamp fuels rise of women's game in Kazakhstan

UEFA Women's Champions League debutants FC Aktobe made history when they took on AS Roma in the first match of their second qualifying round mini-tournament.

The new women's European club competition system invites more teams to play top-level football than ever before – promising increased competitiveness, more excitement for supporters and a better experience for players.

A rising force in Kazakh football, Aktobe were among the clubs to benefit from the new system. They were one of several sides getting their first taste of European club competition this season, who would not have had the same opportunity under previous formats.

FC Aktobe were in a UEFA Women's Champions League draw for the first time this seasonUEFA via Getty Images

Excellence on the European stage

The Kazakhstan champions BIIK-Shymkent also played in the second round of qualifying for the Women's Champions League.

Unlike Aktobe, it was BIIK-Shymkent's 11th successive year in the competition. They reached the round of 16 on four occasions, but their most memorable moment so far came in 2018 when they beat Barcelona 3-1 in the home leg of their round of 32 tie.

Although the Spanish side overturned the deficit in the return match and went on to reach the final, BIIK-Shymkent’s triumph remains a remarkable upset.

Their consistent appearances in the Women's Champions League have contributed to the strength of Kazakhstan's national association coefficient, which decides the extent of a nation's participation in European club competitions and ultimately meant that Aktobe could join them in this year's expanded tournament.

Both teams were unsuccessful in their Women's Champions League qualifying campaign, but BIIK-Shymkent's dramatic 2-1 victory against Spartak Myjava in their second match of the second qualifying round earned them a place in the UEFA Women's Europa Cup, introduced for the 2025/2026 season.

FC Aktobe players celebrate scoring againt BIIK ShymkentKFF | Alexey Sissenbin

A season of firsts and records

Aktobe's historic Women's Champions League participation and BIIK-Shymkent's entry into the Women's Europa Cup is just another step in the on-going rise of women’s football in Kazakhstan, whose domestic league has now expanded to 14 teams, bringing more games to more people across the country.

Over 10,000 girls are currently playing football, with this number steadily increasing, while the significant challenge by Aktobe to BIIK Shymkent's dominance is attracting interest.

In July, the teams fought a crunch top-of-the-table clash in front of a crowd of 8,478, the highest recorded attendance at a women's league game in Kazakhstan.

The contest – which was the first to be broadcast live on the national sports TV channel in Kazakhstan – did not disappoint, as Aktobe scored two goals in injury time to turn a 2-1 deficit into a dramatic 3-2 victory.

The fierce rivalry between the two teams, now both European contenders, is pushing on the women's game in Kazakhstan.