Against Celtic Glasgow
Sensation team creates Champions League qualification
Updated on August 27, 2025 – 07:29Reading time: 1 min.
Celtic Glasgow actually plays regularly in the Champions League. But now the Scots failed in the qualification due to a surprise team.
The club has longed for this moment: Qairat Almaty has qualified for the Champions League for the first time. After a 0-0 in the first leg against Celtic Glasgow, the Kazakh champion kept his nerve in the second leg of the qualification and prevailed 3-2 after a goalless 120 minutes in penalty shooting.
It is a milestone for the team of coach Rafael Urasbachin. As a second club from Kazakhstan ever, Almaty moves into the group phase of the “premier class” – according to FK Astana, who had succeeded ten years ago.
The international competition for Almaty is not completely new. In the 2021/22 season, the club already played in the Conference League, but did not get out of the group phase there.
In addition to Almaty, Royal Union Saint-Gilloise from Belgium will also compete in the Champions League for the first time this season. The preliminary round draw will take place on Thursday (6 p.m./DAZN) in Monaco.