Kairat are one of Kazakhstan’s established clubs, founded in 1954 and based at Almaty Central Stadium. They finished second in the Kazakhstan Premier League in the previous campaign and also appeared in Champions League qualifying and the Champions League league phase.
The squad is sizeable rather than lavish: 35 players, with an average age of 25, and a market value of around £11.5m according to Transfermarkt. That profile suggests a club with enough depth to manage a demanding domestic and European calendar, but not one built on extravagant spending.
Their closing league form was strong. Kairat won four of their final six listed matches, including a 5-0 home win over Okzhetpes and a 4-2 away win at Kyzylzhar, with the only defeat in that run coming 2-1 at Ordabasy. Dastan Satpaev was their leading listed scorer with four goals, while Ofri Arad, Olzhas Baybek, Edmilson de Paula Santos Filho and Valery Gromyko each contributed one.
For Celtic supporters, Kairat are a credible opponent from a different football environment: second in their league last season, European-tested, and currently in pre-season ahead of 2026-27.
