Sports infrastructure in Kazakhstan took a major step forward on Sunday with the opening of a new 12,000-seat ice hockey venue in the capital of Astana – which could be used to jointly host an IIHF World Championships.

Asked by news agency Kazinform about the possibility of Astana hosting a World Championships, International Ice Hockey Federation (IHHF) president Rene Fasel said “It would be great. Why not? 

“This is a great arena and it has the right atmosphere. 12 thousand seats, it is just an ideal capacity.

“There is also a great arena in Almaty, we could organize the world championship in two cities. This is a good idea.”

A 12,000-seat Ice Arena is currently under construction in Kazakhstan’s largest city, Almaty, which will include two ice sheets and a swimming pool. 

The Almaty Ice Arena, which formed part of the city’s bid to host the 2022 Winter Olympic Games, will be used for the 2017 Winter University Games (Universiade).

At 12,000 seats, Astana’s New Ice Arena is twice the capacity of any existing ice rink in the Central Asian former Soviet republic. It replaces the Sports Palace Kazakhstan, which the IIHF says was among the worst rated in the Russian-based cross-border Kontinental Hockey League (KHL).

With an academy and swimming-pool complex, the venue will play a role in Kazakhstan’s wider ambitions for sports development.

Astana is also preparing to host EXPO 2017, an International Specialised Expo established by the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE).

Kazakhstan’s long-standing president Nursultan Nazarbayev visited Astana’s New Ice Arena on Saturday and gave it his approval.

The opening was marked by a showpiece face-off between Rene Fasel and Kazakhstan Ice Hockey Federation president Askar Mamin before a game between Barys Astana and Metallurg Novokuznetsk kicked off the pre-season.

“I congratulate you and all the ice hockey fans of Astana and Kazakhstan on having this new arena. The ice is among the best around Europe,” Fasel told Kazinform.

“I like this country a lot, and this is not my first trip here. People in Kazakhstan are very friendly and hostpitable." 

Kazakhstan intends to bid for the 2026 FIFA World, subject to feasibility discussions with the government, the country’s FA president said on Wednesday.  

"We are discussing this issue with the government of my country to assess what are our chances,” Kazakhstan FA president Yerlan Kozhagapanov told L’Equipe.

Growing at an average of 5.4 per cent per annum, Kazakhstan’s is the largest economy in Central Asia. Its second largest city, Almaty, is currently bidding to host the 2022 Winter Olympic Games. 

"Our country is developing rapidly, our economy is growing, so why not? We want to organise the winter [Olympic] Games in 2022, and we plan to engage in the race for the organisation of the World Cup 2026."

Kazakhstan is rich in oil but its national team has yet to qualify for a UEFA European Championship, let alone a World Cup.

The criteria for bidding for the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be determined by FIFA’s executive committee on 30 May 2015. 

UEFA countries may be excluded from bidding for 2026, as Russia is hosting 2018. Asian countries will not be able to bid for 2026 as it immediately follows Qatar hosting the World Cup in 2022.

If it were to bid for 2026, Kazakhstan would likely be competing against the US, the world’s largest economy which also has a fast growing soccer market.

The host nation of the 2026 World Cup will be elected by 209 FA presidents at the FIFA Congress in Kuala Lumpur in May 2017.