AuylFootball: Golden Ball Winner Announced at 2024 Awards Ceremony

On January 25, Almaty hosted the AuylFootballAWARDS-2024—a key event of the #AuylFootball project, which is supported by the Halyk Charitable Fund, founded by Timur Kulibayev and Dinara Kulibayeva. The project is dedicated to developing and popularizing football among children in rural areas of Kazakhstan.

Galymbek Zhaksylykov, Director of the Almaty branch of the Halyk Charitable Fund, emphasized:

“Our foundation places special focus on developing sports in rural areas. We aim to create equal opportunities for children and promote active lifestyles, including through football. Around 500 million tenge has been allocated for these efforts.”

Highlights from the Awards Ceremony

Winners were recognized in 15 categories and received statuettes, diplomas, and cash prizes from the Halyk Charitable Fund. The event was attended by well-known footballers, entrepreneurs, public figures, politicians, and journalists.

The prestigious Golden Ball #AuylFootball award went to Daniyar Islam, who shared:

“I’ve loved football since I was a child. My idols were global stars, and I always looked up to them. Today, I’ve become a winner myself—it’s a dream come true!”

Achievements of the #AuylFootball Project in 2024

In 2024, the project reached a new level:

• 114 teams from 16 regions, including 128 coaches and more than 4,000 school-age children.
• 100 rural coaches have completed training under the National Programme of the Football Federation of Kazakhstan and received the UEFA D category.
• More than 1000 players are provided with football uniforms.
• 25 coaches completed the “football management” course.
• 14 regional tournaments and the final republican tournament were held.

Support of the Halyk Charitable Fund

Founded in 2016 by Timur Kulibayev and Dinara Kulibayeva, the Halyk Charitable Fund has implemented more than 120 social projects and provided over 85 billion tenge in assistance. Among its flagship initiatives are #AuylFootball and AUYL SPORT, both of which are transforming access to sports for children in rural Kazakhstan.