''UNI Football League'' Presentation takes place in Astana

The project was created by the Kazakhstan Football Federation together with the Bolashak Corporate Foundation. The project sponsor is Freedom Holding Corporation through the charity foundation “Freedom Shapagat”.

“UNI Football League” is a football project developed specifically for children and young people with autism and Down syndrome, aged 11 to 18 years. The goal of the project is to create access to a high-quality sports program and socialize children and youth with special needs through football.

The UNI Football League project launched in November 2023 at the House of Football with funds from the annual Winter Charity Ball of the Bolashak Foundation. 16 children with autism and Down syndrome are studying now in Astana. In general, the project currently covers 7 cities of Kazakhstan (Shymkent, Atyrau, Karaganda, Astana, Kokshetau, Petropavlovsk and Taraz), where 60-65 children and youth, including girls are engaged in football sections. These sections will be also launched in Ust-Kamenogorsk and Aktau in the near future. In total, the project plans to cover about 160 children and adolescents.

The Kazakhstan Football Federation selected a team of qualified coaches with UEFA B, C, D licences, who have completed courses on inclusive education, and also have experience working with children with disabilities.

The main objective of the project is to help children with the developing of their social and communication skills, making new friends, physical development as well as coordination development; helping special children lead an active and social life, engaging them in social and sporting events.

The Kazakhstan Football Federation is working on creating a manual for coaches. This manual will be an important tool for preparing qualified specialists who can effectively and safely conduct training and football events.

In September 2024, it is planned to hold the republican tournament “UNI Football” at the KFF Football House. This tournament will be an important step towards creating a large-scale platform for the development of football among people with mental disabilities in Kazakhstan. The competition regulations, specially developed by the KFF, take into account the characteristics of the participants and provide the most comfortable conditions for the game.

Moreover, the KFF, together with the Bolashak Foundation, plans to conduct annual specialized courses for coaches and staff of the UNI Football League. These courses will be aimed at increasing the qualifications and improving the professional skills of the project coaches, which will ensure a high level of training and support for children during football lessons.

The press conference was attended by the President of the Kazakhstan Football Federation Adlet Barmenkulov, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Bolashak Corporate Foundation Dinara Gaplan, the Ambassador of Spain to the Republic of Kazakhstan Jorge Urbiola Lopez de Montenegro, the President of the Freedom Shapagat Corporate Foundation Baglana Musina, the head of the inclusive league for football “UNI FOOTBALL LEAGUE” Chingis Temerkhanov, as well as deputies of the Senate of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan and parents of children with special needs.