Kairat players have secured their place in the group stage of a European competition for the 2026/27 season, reports infohub.kz.
The Almaty side, as reigning Kazakhstan Premier League champions, started in the Champions League. In the first qualifying round, they defeated Montenegro's Sutjeska with an aggregate score of 4-1. In the second round, after a 1-1 aggregate tie, they beat Cyprus' Omonia on penalties.
Two rounds remain in Champions League qualifying. If Kairat fail in either, they will drop into the Europa League. Should they also lose there, they will enter the group stage of the Conference League.
Kairat's opponent in the third qualifying round of the Champions League has been determined: Bulgaria's Levski Sofia.
"We can say we've secured the minimum — we've extended our European campaign into the autumn. But now we should aim higher," Kairat head coach Rafael Urazbakhtin said at a press conference after the second leg against Omonia.
Last season, the Almaty club reached the Champions League group stage for the first time in history. In the current European campaign, only one Kazakh club remains: Kostanay's Tobol, who are competing against Lithuania's Panevezys in the second qualifying round of the Conference League. Astana and Semey's Elimai have already been eliminated.