Smoke, lasers, and football: everything about the QJL All Star 2025 show program and activities

The League traditionally views All-Star Matches not only as a sporting event but also as a tool for promoting youth football. That’s why the organizers faced an ambitious challenge: to put on a show capable of competing for the attention of local residents with other entertainment events in the city.

«We’re no strangers to organizing major events. As you know, we’ve already held them in Taraz, Kyzylorda, Ust-Kamenogorsk, and Pavlodar. This is a normal and proper practice — it’s how we draw attention to the development of youth football.

Bringing in an academy like Atlético is truly invaluable. For our boys, it’s a great, tremendous opportunity to put themselves to the test.

In this situation, for me personally, the sporting result is secondary. What truly matters is the celebration for the fans and the players, the opportunity for young footballers and coaches to test themselves at such a high level. Matches like this, and the way they’re organized, not only promote football but also give new momentum to its development.», – emphasized League President Rokhus Shokh in an interview with Total Football KZ.



The media and marketing team did a tremendous job to ensure that every person—regardless of how much they love football—could have a great time and, at the same time, become more deeply immersed in the spirit of the game of millions.

Just like the girls’ tournament opener, this year’s QJL All Star had its own unique concept. While the event in Pavlodar carried the slogan “Women’s football – brighter than summer”, for this evening the organizers prepared a different theme, captured in the idea “Where football meets the night.”

«We dreamed of bringing something new to the All-Star Match. Not just a matchday, but a true show that would give the audience a real wow effect. We developed the event’s concept in advance, and based on it, we prepared both the staging and the entertainment program.

There were a lot of nuances — including the importance of having the match kick off at just the right time of day. As a result, the pre-match activities perfectly conveyed the feel of a futuristic night atmosphere — even before the opening whistle, it was clear that this evening would be something special.», – explained Marketing Communications Manager Ayazhan Zhumabekova.

The stadium gates opened an hour and a half before kickoff, and while the teams were warming up and making their final preparations for the match, Almaty residents and guests of the southern capital began experiencing their first impressions. Entertainers in futuristic costumes, hologram-styled projections on the stands’ columns — the event’s main idea was brought to life in the finest of details.

To motivate fans to take part in the activities, a quest system was introduced — anyone could receive a participant card with six empty slots designated for stamps.

Each stamp was given after completing a specific task. The first on the list was visiting the Changan x Astana Motors photo zone. The League’s premium partner invited fans to take a picture with a branded car and share it on Instagram — and for completing these actions, promoters not only stamped the card but also handed out gifts.



The next branded zone at the stadium was the COPA.KZ booth — here, fans could purchase Freedom QJ League merchandise, including a limited collection created specifically for the match against Atlético. It’s worth recalling that Jursun Auezhan, the winner of the League’s designer contest, contributed to its creation. Supporters could buy official scarves and jerseys, as well as colorful match programs — and to earn a stamp, all they needed to do was explore the assortment.



The FOOTLAB zone offered everyone the chance to play an improvised bowling game — you had to strike the ball in such a way as to knock down two bottles placed apart, serving as pins. A stamp was given just for the attempt, while success also earned a discount certificate.

Finally, to collect the remaining half of the stamps, guests had to try out digital entertainment: striking real balls at targets lit up on a screen, playing a football simulator in a virtual reality headset, and looking into a webcam to see how artificial intelligence transformed their appearance.



The reward for those who managed to collect all the stamps was a unique branded tote bag from the limited collection. It couldn’t be purchased at the booth — completing the tasks was the only way to get this accessory.

In addition, the stadium featured a Riksamin zone where fans could play table football, along with a food court and a relaxation area. Guests were also offered face painting — and even that fully embraced the evening’s neon concept, as the artists used paints that glowed in the dark — both striking and safe.



But the true climax of the show program was the laser performance before the start of the game — the floodlights dimmed for a moment, and lights danced across the pitch, vividly reminding the crowd of QJL All Star’s victories in past years. When it was time for the teams to enter, a smoky curtain and lasers created a shimmering corridor that pierced through the darkness of the Almaty night.



The play of lights continued during halftime — while the players regained their strength and listened to the coaches’ instructions, the audience enjoyed a spectacular dance performance by the Dream Lights agency.

Finally, after the match came the turn of the headliners — this time, the League chose not to invite a famous pop performer, instead giving preference to DJ sets by renowned masters of the craft — DJ PUZA and DJ BURLYAEV.

«In Almaty, event posters are traditionally filled with big names, which makes inviting artists a challenge. That’s why we focused on light and sound instead: we staged a laser show before the match, a light-filled player entrance, and a halftime performance», – explained this choice Head of Media and Marketing, Anton Lyssyak.

He emphasized that the League managed to achieve one of its main goals — to surprise fans, who are already used to matchdays, with fresh ideas and meaning: «Given the scale, it can be said that this was one of the most complex and successful events in terms of organization. And the fact that our boys managed to finish regular time with a draw against a European giant only further reinforced the positive aftertaste.

Beyond the match itself, a lot was accomplished: active work on social media, an exclusive documentary series for Freedom Media now fully available on the platform, the launch of official merchandise, and an on-site sales point at the stadium — something that had never been done before.

By many measures, this event became our flagship. We hope that the bar will only be raised higher from here».

The attendance record among Freedom QJ League events still belongs to the opening match of the debut season, when Astana and Ordabasy faced off at the Astana Arena in front of 17,834 spectators. The first sold-out game was achieved in Taraz in August of that same year — 12,168 fans watched the home side take on Kairat live.

This year, the League plans to host two more major events — another matchday and the official season closing ceremony.