With some of the Western footballing attention on Dastan Satpayev, even with the modest increase in interest in the club that sold him to Chelsea, few will know that the Kazakh Championship this year has been won by another team – Ordabasy Shymkent.
For the benefit of international readers, Shymkent is in some ways like a Kazakh Manchester; not the main city but one of enormous importance to the culture and economy of the country. Full of life, industry, and enterprising people. It is located in the south and has a population of 1,274,296, with origins in the 2nd or 3rd century BC.
Shymkent is officially classed as a city of republican significance.
And like Manchester, it also has one very good football team.
After their closest challengers, Kairat Almaty, could only manage a 2-2 draw against Aktobe in their penultimate match, the gap at the top is four points going into the final fixtures later in the week, enough to see the southern city crowned champions with a game to spare.
This title means that the victorious Shymkent side will enter Champions League qualifying in 2027 hoping to emulate their rivals from Almaty and make it to the final stages to host some of the biggest clubs in the world at their Kazhimukan Munaitpasov Stadium.
In the meantime, the players and fans of the team managed by Moldovan Andrei Martin will revel in their second title – also its second in three years – combined with Republic Day, celebrations for which continue into the evening.
The squad is mainly composed of Kazakhstani players, but also fields international stars: Brazilians, Cameroonians, French, and a Norwegian being the imports of choice.
