Kairat are one of Kazakhstan’s established clubs, founded in 1954 and based at Almaty Central Stadium. They went into the 2026-27 pre-season after finishing second in the Premier League, with a squad valued at around £11.5m by Transfermarkt.
Their previous league campaign ended strongly: five wins and a draw across the listed run, including 5-0 at home to Okzhetpes and away victories at Atyrau, Okzhetpes and Kyzylzhar. Dastan Satpaev led their scoring with four goals, followed by Jorge Gabriel “Jorginho” Costa Monteiro on two.
Kairat’s squad is sizeable, with 35 players and an average age of 25, suggesting a group built with both depth and room to develop. Their European involvement included the Champions League second qualifying round and the Champions League league phase, placing them in the kind of continental setting familiar to Celtic supporters.
They arrive in the new campaign as a strong domestic side from Kazakhstan, with recent league momentum, European exposure and a relatively young squad. For Celtic, they are a neutral opponent to be treated seriously rather than dressed up as a mystery.
