BIIK-Shymkent helps young football players grow. Many athletes from Africa start their careers there.
In the last ten years, BIIK-Shymkent, a women's football club in southern Kazakhstan, has worked hard to develop players. The club lets them play in the UEFA Women’s Champions League. This gives athletes a chance to get better and gain experience.
Shymkent is the third-largest city in Kazakhstan. It has BIIK and a men's team, FC Ordabasy. The men's team has done well, but BIIK leads women's football in Kazakhstan. They won the national championship for 12 years in a row until 2025. This lets BIIK play in European competitions often.
Racheal Kundananji joined BIIK as a teen. She grew into a top player there. Later, she moved to Bay FC in California. She was the most expensive female footballer at that time. Kundananji says BIIK believed in her and helped her improve.
Kaloyan Petkov is the head coach at BIIK. He helped Kundananji a lot. He saw her talent and worked with her to build her skills. Petkov has helped many players reach international levels.
BIIK is a starting point for many athletes, especially from Africa. Sporting director Damelya Abduali says they find and grow talent well. Players who train at BIIK often do well after they leave.
The training spots in Shymkent have many pitches and places to stay. They are better than those of many men's teams in Kazakhstan. Club president Bauyrzhan Abdubaitov gives money to keep BIIK strong.
BIIK has done well, but women's football is getting tougher. Other leagues make it hard to get top players. Still, BIIK's past and European games attract young athletes.
Kundananji tells young players to try BIIK first. Small steps can lead to big chances. BIIK is a good place to start in European football.
