Vladimir Putin: ‘Tatarstan shows strong results in sports development’
The Football Development Centre in Kazan has expanded with a dormitory for female players and two new football fields
Four months after the opening of the Nikolai Sentyabrev indoor football arena at the Rubin training base, the second phase of the Football Development Centre has been inaugurated. As part of the project, a residential complex accommodating 76 young female footballers has been built. The leadership of Tatarstan reported to President Putin on the progress achieved and presented its vision for the further development of youth sports potential. Read more details in the report by Realnoe Vremya.
“Tatarstan demonstrates strong performance not only in economic development”
Kazan has gained a new facility in its football infrastructure: a residential complex and two artificial pitches have been officially opened as part of the second stage of the Football Development Centre, which already includes the Nikolai Sentyabrev indoor football arena inaugurated in June. Rubin has invested in the growth of its women’s team, creating comfortable conditions for the players with a sauna, salt room, and hammam. The dormitory will also accommodate the coaches of the women’s team, who, with few exceptions, are men.
The two-storey complex offers 76 beds across 36 rooms, as well as seven changing rooms and two coaches’ offices.
The opening ceremony took place with the participation of Russian President Vladimir Putin as part of the “Russia — a Sporting Power” forum. Tatarstan’s Prime Minister Aleksei Pesoshin and Rubin’s President Marat Safiullin presented the facility to the head of state via video link.
“Now Tatarstan has a fully-fledged base for year-round training and training camps for our young athletes and established professionals. The third phase of the Centre’s construction is a multi-purpose sports complex [for the men’s team — Ed.], which we plan to complete in 2026. We are confident that the Football Development Centre will become an important link in nurturing the younger generation, and within its walls many top-level athletes will emerge,” said Pesoshin.
“Tatarstan demonstrates strong performance not only in economic and social development but also in sport. Team sports are thriving here — both hockey and football. I sincerely wish success to all your athletes — both beginners and those who have already shown good results — and to everyone who loves physical culture,” concluded Putin.
Before that, however, he showed greater interest in the opening of a Martial Arts Palace in neighbouring Udmurtia. It was hardly surprising, as Putin, who comes from the world of judo himself, has never forgotten his sporting roots. Behind the athletes, he noticed a tatami mat and asked them to “demonstrate something.”
Organisers in Tatarstan immediately became animated and quickly handed the children a football. What if the country’s leader asked to score a goal and the main symbol of football wasn’t at hand? The oversight was swiftly corrected, but Putin did not make any such request. He thanked the republic’s leadership and moved on to the next site.
The republic awaits Tatarstan athletes in Rubin’s main team
“We will gather talented girls and boys and help them refine their skills. We will prepare our main teams <...> I hope that in the future, the core of Rubin’s main squad will consist of athletes from Tatarstan,” said Khalil Shaikhutdinov, First Deputy Minister of Sport of the republic, speaking to journalists. Back in January, he told Realnoe Vremya that “the head of the republic has set a goal for at least 25–30 per cent of the players in professional clubs to be homegrown talents.”
Football traditionally remains the most popular sport in Tatarstan, engaging 66,800 people, including 10,200 children and teenagers. FC Rubin also has its own women’s team, revived in 2021 — largely influenced by mandatory Russian Football Union licensing rules requiring female teams in club academies across several age groups.
The debut season of Rubin’s women’s team was unsuccessful — the club lost every match. In the 2022/23 season, the team achieved its best result, rising to fifth place during the championship but ultimately finishing ninth. Over the past three years, three head coaches have left the team: Olga Vasilyeva in 2021, Renat Miftakhov in 2023 (under whom the club finished last), and Dmitry Nechaev in 2024. The current head coach is Mars Sakhabutdinov, who previously managed the current bottom team of the league, Yenisei Women. His coaching career also includes examples of promoting teams to higher divisions: under his leadership, FC Lada Dimitrovgrad advanced to the Second Division, Ural–Volga zone, and FC Atom from the Third Division.
At present, Rubin Women sit in 10th place, having suffered three consecutive defeats and collected 17 points from 23 matches. For comparison, the league leaders, Spartak, boast an impressive 61 points. Nevertheless, the Kazan club is not in last place, as 13 teams compete in the division.