Over a span of three days, the AFC delegation met with key members of the KFU, including General Secretary Mederbek Sydykov and President of the Women’s Football Association Saltanat Egemberdieva, to discuss strategic collaboration opportunities, especially with the launch of the AFC Women’s Champions League™ and the revamped women’s national team competitions.

 

On the first day of the visit, the delegation visited the National Football Academy and observed a training session of the U17 women’s national team. A follow-up session with the coaching staff the next day offered a valuable platform to exchange insights, assess development needs, and explore avenues to provide tailored support for further developing the existing youth programmes.

Another key highlight of the programme was the “Football for All”  women’s amateur tournament, which was conducted on the final day. The friendly competition saw eight diverse teams—including participants from fields such as healthcare, banking, education, and international NGOs who took to the field to promote inclusivity and community spirit and encourage young girls to cultivate an interest in the beautiful game.

Moreover, the experts also attended a friendly match between the U17 women’s national team and Ilbirs Bishkek FC, which served not only as a benchmark of development but also the talent pipeline of women footballers in the country.

 

Currently comprising over 400 registered female players across age groups, the women’s game in the Republic is steadily gaining momentum.

 

Capitalising on the growth, the AFC also provided its expert assistance to draft a preliminary strategic plan in order for KFU to reach its goal of qualifying for the AFC Women’s Champions League™ in the upcoming season and subsequently reaching the finals of all AFC women’s national team competitions by 2029.