The draw for the league phase of 2025-2026 UEFA Champions League was made overnight.
Kairat, based in Almaty, becomes the easternmost team to ever qualify for the Champions League proper. Almaty’s location in Central Asia makes it ideal for the UEFA to schedule Kairat’s home matches (against Real Madrid, Club Brugge, Olympiacos and Pafos) to suit primetime audience in East Asia, where the competition is popular with fans. Conversely, it also means Kairat’s home matches will be shown in the afternoon back into Europe.