Celtic now know their Champions League playoff fate — a two-legged battle with Kazakh champions Kairat Almaty after the Central Asians edged Slovan Bratislava in a tense penalty shootout.
It’s a first-ever competitive meeting between the sides, and Brendan Rodgers’ men will face a gruelling ~7,000-mile round trip to the foothills of the Trans-Ili Alatau mountains for the away leg. The travel is just the start of the challenge. Almaty’s Central Stadium, with a capacity of just under 24,000, is famed for its compact, intimidating atmosphere.
The return leg takes place in Almaty, where temperatures are expected to hover around 30°C.
Kairat have sold out all three of their Champions League fixtures at the 22,800-capacity Central Stadium this season, so a fierce atmosphere is guaranteed. All the more reason for Celtic to try and get the job done in the first leg at Celtic Park.
Did You Know..
- No Playoffs: Celtic have not had to play any qualifiers in the Champions League for three seasons.
- Tense Times: The Bhoys have famously had some nightmare results in the playoffs against so-called lesser opposition.
- Kazakhstan Opposition: Celtic have only played two fixtures against Kazakh opponents and have three wins and one draw in those two-legged ties, both against Astana.
- Celtic Host: The Scottish Champions will host Kairat Almaty on Wednesday, 20th August, with the return leg six days later.
- Kieran Tierney, Callum McGregor and James Forrest all played against Astana back in 2017 with Brendan as the manager.
Kairat are known locally as Halyq komandasy — “Team of the Nation.” Under manager Rafael Urazbakhtin, they dominated the Kazakhstan Premier League in 2024 and have carried that momentum into Europe.
Their qualifying campaign has been a test of nerve as much as skill: overcoming Olimpija Ljubljana 3-1 in the first round, KuPS Kuopio 3-2 in the second, and finally holding their nerve in a penalty shootout against Slovan Bratislava after a tight aggregate draw.
The return leg takes place in Almaty, where temperatures are expected to hover around 30°C.
The Kazakhstan club once knocked Aberdeen out of Europe ten years ago in a Europa League qualifier.
Celtic will need to be wary of the travel and time zone effects, as well as the altitude and unpredictable conditions in Almaty. The prize for the winner is a place in the Champions League league stage — and Celtic will have to earn it the hard way.
