On the night of Sept. 29, a charter flight carrying Real Madrid players landed in Almaty. Among the arriving athletes were stars such as Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior, and Jude Bellingham.
The team was accommodated at the five-star InterContinental Almaty, which is closed to other guests until the team leaves later this week, as the club has completely purchased the 15-story, 277-room hotel. As a result, online and phone booking will be available only starting Oct. 1.
The InterContinental Almaty has been mentioned several times recently in media reports, as the Backstreet Boys also chose the venue for their stay in Almaty a week ago. In addition to its proximity to the Central Stadium, where the match will take place, the hotel is also known for its well-planned location and robust security system. Guests, for example, have a separate entrance, gated floors, and their own security. Ait-Hotel JSC, the Kazakh-Turkish parent company of the hotel, is partially controlled by the government of Kazakhstan, which holds a 47.32% stake in the venture.
The Real Madrid team arrived in Almaty last night, while hundreds of fans with flags, balls, and personalized jerseys greeted the star-studded delegation at the hotel entrance. Videos later surfaced on social media of fans camping in the lobby hoping to spot their idols, and Mbappé was even seen in the hotel restaurant.
The Kairat-Real Madrid match is going to be not only a sporting but also a cultural event. This is the longest European trip the club has ever made, so the coaching staff decided to bring their main squad to Kazakhstan. The match will take place on Sept. 30 at 9:45 p.m. Astana time at Central Stadium in Almaty. Almost all bars and restaurants in the city are already preparing fan zones with live broadcasts on large screens.
