Kanye West has a history of shaking up the music and political scene. Now, he apparently does it in a football arena.
What unfolded was FC Kairat, a professional club in the Kazakhstan Premier League, being forced to have its UEFA Champions League qualifier match relocated from Almaty Central Stadium – the team’s home ground.
The reason was West – who is set to have a concert in Kazakhstan’s capital, Almaty, on Aug. 14 – and the club’s stadium was booked for the rapper.
Kairat FC, however, has to settle for a stadium in Kazakhstan’s different city, Turkistan.
Despite the change, the team’s defender Luís Mata – who helped beat Omonia – stressed the disruption will not be used as an excuse for any complacency.
According to Tengri Sport, a media outlet in Kazakhstan, he said, “We are happy; we played an incredible game.”
He continued, “We controlled the match but couldn’t score, despite creating enough chances.”
“As for the penalty shootout—it was that Almaty magic again that we saw last year,” the footballer added.
“We are delighted to have secured a spot in the European group stages. Moving the next Champions League match to Turkistan?”
However, the Portuguese player noted, “Of course, we would have liked to play in Almaty, at our home, but I will say this: it shouldn’t be an excuse for us, no matter what.”
It seems to show Ye’s oversized influence in the music scene after his comeback, following years of being shunned over antisemitic controversies.
