Football in Kazakhstan

[2][3] Kazakh football first appeared in Semey before World War I, when British merchants brought the game to the area.

Among the early players of the game was writer Mukhtar Auezov who turned out for the 'Yarysh' club, the biggest of the time [1] Archived 2016-03-03 at the Wayback Machine.

After World War II a regular league began in 1946 while a cup competition, previously held sporadically was instituted full-time in 1948.

No Kazakh footballer had represented the USSR until 1977 when FC Kairat defender Seilda Baishakov made his debut in a FIFA World Cup qualifier against Hungary.

The country's Eugeny Yarovenko also added to the honours as a member of the victorious Soviet side at the 1988 Summer Olympics.