Rokhus Shokh: “We are one big friendly family – Freedom QJ League”

— Every time a new season begins, there’s a sense of pleasant excitement. That’s normal, because the project is growing, and the League has fully made its presence known.

Every season is special, but this one stands out because, for the first time, we are launching a tournament for girls. This is a major event, as it opens a new path in football for girls across Kazakhstan.

Freedom QJ League is a platform that provides a strong push for development. These aren’t just empty slogans – this is a fact everyone sees and understands. People in the regions have been waiting for a girls’ tournament: they’ve told me this personally and messaged me on social media. Everything is going according to plan, and the League is developing step by step.

I want to once again thank Timur Turlov and Freedom Holding Corp. for believing in the project when even some of my close friends from the football world didn’t quite understand what I was aiming for. He, as a strategic thinker and visionary, was the first to see where we were heading.

Our league is a project of the Kazakhstan Football Federation: national, large-scale, systemic, social, and athletic. I think those are the main words to describe it.

The League has reached nearly every city – maybe not every village yet, but I’m sure we’ll get there. Ordinary people – boys and girls, their families, coaches, referees, inspectors – they love us, respect us, and believe in the League.

This project is driven by young Kazakhstani men and women from all corners of the country. I was told it would be impossible to find specialists in Kazakhstan for a project like this. It wasn’t easy – it took us seven or eight months to build the team – but we did it. From my own experience, I can say: it’s not enough just to know things and have skills – you have to truly burn with passion for this work, you have to love it. I always say: we are building the future of Kazakh football today. Búgin – that’s our motto.

Everyone here today, and those who couldn’t be here – club representatives, football academies – we are all working together for the future of football in Kazakhstan.

We’re happy for our football veterans, grateful for their support, and proud of the young coaches who are growing with us, both as individuals and professionals.

Football is not just a game. It’s a huge industry, and we must treat it accordingly. That’s why the League is opening new social elevators for media officers, sports marketers, and administrators – roles that are still lacking in our country. These people are emerging in the regions, we strive to train them and track their progress. And that’s amazing, because we are one big friendly family – Freedom QJ League.