Kyrgyzstan, a landlocked and mountainous Central Asian country, has long teetered between aspirations of modernization and the realities of deeply entrenched corruption. Under President Sadyr Japarov, the country has pursued an ambitious image of development, fueled by flashy infrastructure projects that seek to portray Kyrgyzstan as an economic contender in the region. Chief among these is the massive football stadium currently under construction near Bishkek, the capital. Promoted as the largest stadium in Central Asia upon completion, the project is emblematic of both the country’s lofty ambitions and its troubling descent into opacity.

The construction of the stadium is officially tied to Kyrgyzstan’s joint bid with Uzbekistan and Tajikistan to host the 2031 Asian Football Confederation Cup, a move that, if successful, would thrust the nation onto the continental sports stage. However, serious questions are emerging about the governance, financing, and political connections surrounding the project-questions that are going largely unanswered by the state.

Since assuming power in 2020 amid political upheaval, President Sadyr Japarov has prioritized a highly centralized model of governance. Much of his government’s development activity has flowed through the Presidential Administrative Directorate, a powerful and poorly understood state body directly under his control.

This directorate is now at the center of the stadium controversy. While the project is publicly touted as a symbol of Kyrgyz pride and progress, basic facts-such as who is building it and how it’s being funded-remain frustratingly opaque. Journalists from the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) have identified Ordo Kurulush Company as one of the construction firms involved. This company,........

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