Astana Football Club is planned to be privatised: an investor has already been found, but their name has not yet been disclosed. This was announced by the Minister of Tourism and Sport, Yerbol Myrzabosynov, at a government press conference.
According to Zakon.kz, the head of the ministry noted that FC Astana is a club with history and international recognition, which has been funded throughout its existence by the single operator Sport Qory.
"We are planning the commercialisation of this club, as it has international recognition. I think there will be no problems with investors. At the moment, the matter is being worked on; after the New Year, we will give a detailed response," stated Myrzabosynov.
The minister emphasised that an investor for FC Astana already exists, but their name will not be announced until all procedures are completed.
"We are actively working. The investor is already there, I simply cannot name them until the procedures are finished," he added.
Yerbol Myrzabosynov also reported that five football clubs in Kazakhstan have already been commercialised to date, with another seven currently in the process of privatisation.
It should be recalled that earlier, Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov stated that the process of privatising football clubs and their infrastructure is in an active phase.
JSC «Kaspi Group» intends to acquire FC «Zhenis» and develop football infrastructure in Astana. Furthermore, the ministry is in negotiations with investors regarding the clubs «Taraz», «Yelimay» and «Irtysh».
At the end of October, it became known that FC «Kaisar» was bought by entrepreneur Islamgali Kozbakov, owner of the companies «TAU Group LTD», «Alem Stroy» and a concrete plant.
In November, an agreement was signed in Petropavlovsk on the transfer of the sporting brand, infrastructure and assets of FC «Kyzyl-Zhar» to one of the co-owners of JSC «Central Asian Electric Power Corporation», Sergey Kan.
Later, it was reported that the owner of the company «Qazaq Stroy», Nurlan Artykbaev, became an investor in «Aktobe» football club.
Subsequently, a company from the Freedom Holding Corp. group owned by entrepreneur Timur Turlov acquired the Karaganda-based «Shakhter» football club at auction.