Wales Fans’ Kazakh Adventure: Horse Riding, Culinary Curiosities, and World Cup Dreams

For the die-hard supporters of the Welsh national football team, affectionately known as the 'Red Wall,' following their team across Europe is a way of life. However, the recent World Cup qualifying match in Kazakhstan presented a unique experience, even for the most seasoned travelers. Beyond the anticipation of the game, the journey to Astana offered a chance to immerse themselves in a culture vastly different from their own.

The draw for the 2026 World Cup qualifying rounds in Europe initially brought a sense of déjà vu for Welsh fans. The prospect of yet another encounter with Belgium, marking their 11th match in 13 years, wasn't exactly thrilling. However, the silver lining was the unprecedented trip to Kazakhstan. This marked a first-ever encounter with the opposition and an extensive 7,000-mile round trip, making it the furthest the Welsh men's team would ever travel for a qualifier.

Gwilym Boore, a long-time Wales supporter with three decades of experience, captured the sentiment perfectly. "We've been waiting a long time to come here," he exclaimed, basking in the Astana sunshine. But for Gwilym and many others, the adventure didn't stop in the capital. Their itinerary included a visit to Almaty, reputed to be a different world compared to Astana, and onward travel to Uzbekistan, including Tashkent. The lure was the final of the Central Asian Republic tournament. From there, the adventure continued through Bukara, Kiva, and Samaran, with the mode of transportation yet to be determined. Trains, flights, and automobiles all remained possibilities.

Image source, FAW

Boore was among over 1,000 Welsh fans who travelled to Astana. The country, ninth largest by land mass, straddles two continents. Astana is unusual, a shiny metropolis built in 1997 as the nation's capital.

Amanda Jones described the welcome, "The people have been so welcoming. It's been lovely from the minute we arrived. With the bucket hats, there's been a real interest, people have stopped to chat and the locals have welcomed us to the city...This is what being part of the Red Wall is. It's meeting up with everyone, it's coming to places that you would never, ever dream about coming to and to support the boys as well. It's great."

John McAllister took things a step further, traveling overland by train and bus over five weeks. He went through around a dozen countries, including Western Europe and the Balkans. "I thought Kazakhstan, it's as far and as exotic as we can get for a qualification game here in Wales. I thought that it'd be a really good excuse to do something a little bit mental," he explained.

While McAllister enjoyed Kazakhstan, the food wasn't on par with the countries he had visited. He stated: "And I don't want to be mean but I had quite a horsey dinner in Kazakhstan. The only way I can describe it is kind of horse four ways...There was some that was sliced up, some in chunks, some in bacon. And then there was what I can only describe as a horse lollipop. Yeah, it's as bad as you're imagining. I don't think I'll be eating that one again."

Image source, Getty Images

While the 'Red Wall' explored Kazakhstan, the Wales team remained focused on the match. Their schedule consisted of a hotel, stadium, and airport, as their attention was on victory to boost their 2026 World Cup hopes. McAllister added, "It's pretty impressive that we've taken the numbers that we're taking...I think it says a lot about us as a supportive football nation. We get behind our team, we travel really well. And I would say that everywhere that we travel to receives us really happily as well...We don't go around causing trouble or anything. So I think locals are very keen for us to visit and have a good time basically."

Image source, FAW

Dave Fornell summed up the contrasting experiences, "We went horseback riding in the national park three hours away. It was a great day." In Kazakhstan, the Red Wall's experiences are as diverse as the country itself.