UEFA awards highest category to Kazakhstan's Kaysar Arena

Kyzylorda's Kaysar Arena has achieved UEFA's highest, fourth category, clearing it to host top-tier international football matches. The stadium, a 21-billion-tenge investment, officially opened in October 2025 but had been awaiting its official classification since the previous October. UEFA's decision means the arena is now fully prepared for matches involving the Kazakhstan national team in European Championship qualifiers and the Nations League, as well as club tournaments like the Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League.

The stadium's categorization was a procedural matter, according to the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, which stated in January 2026 that the delay was not due to unreadiness. An international expert's inspection in April confirmed the arena's potential for hosting international games. Kaysar Arena, with a capacity of 11,000 seats, is the third new football stadium built in Kazakhstan since the country gained independence. It joins the Astana Arena (30,000 seats) and Turkistan Arena (7,000 seats). All three feature artificial turf, which can pose a challenge for visiting European teams.

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Following the inspection and analysis of the reports, UEFA awarded Kaysar Arena the fourth, highest category. The Kyzylorda stadium is now fully ready to host international matches of the highest level, including Kazakhstan national team matches in the European Championship qualifiers and the Nations League, as well as qualifying and main-stage matches of European club tournaments: the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League.