Kazakhstan to Impose Strict Limits on Budget Funding for Football and Hockey Clubs

The Kazakh government is preparing to introduce strict caps on budget funding for professional sports clubs, particularly in football and hockey, Orda.kz reports.

At a Central Communications Service briefing, Vice Minister of Tourism and Sports Serik Zharasbayev announced that the Ministry will now determine specific funding limits for each club. While similar measures were introduced in 2020, they remained largely symbolic. This time, the government plans to enforce them.

We will clearly set limits on funding for football, hockey, and other professional gaming clubs from the budget. We’ll also place restrictions on player salaries. Today, there are cases where athletes earning unreasonably high sums. We intend to take this under control,” Zharasbayev stated. 

The new bill also includes a ban on using public or quasi-public funds to pay foreign players.

Once the law is passed, legionnaires will not be eligible for payments from the budget or state-owned companies. Their salaries must come from off-budget sources, such as sponsorships,Zharasbayev explained. 

The savings, he said, will be redirected toward developing youth and grassroots sports. The proposed legislation is currently under review in the Senate.

Original Author: Artyom Volkov