Kazakhstani football clubs in international competitions
Kazakh clubs moved from AFC to UEFA in 2002.
Kazakhstani football clubs have participated in Asian Football Confederation competitions from the 1994–95 season until the 2000–01 season, then switched to UEFA after a transitional season. They have competed in UEFA tournaments since the 2002–03 season, with Astana becoming the first Kazakhstani team to reach the UEFA Champions League group stage in 2015 and the first to qualify for a European knockout stage in 2017.
UEFA competitions
Due to Kazakhstan's spring-autumn league season, Kazakh clubs begin their European campaign only for the next season. Current club allocation is: 1 club (champion) for the Champions League 1st qualifying round, and 3 clubs for the Europa Conference League 2nd qualifying round. Historical notes include that Tobol did not apply for the Intertoto Cup in 2002, and no club went through appropriate licensing procedures for the 2004–05 season. Only Kairat obtained a license for 2005–06. The Intertoto Cup was discontinued after the 2008 season. In 2009, Almaty and Megasport merged into Lokomotiv, which inherited Almaty's Europa League spot but was denied a UEFA license; after other clubs were denied or withdrew, Okzhetpes, the 9th-placed club, became the third Europa League participant. The 2020 Kazakhstan Cup was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing Shakhter, the 4th-placed club, to enter the Europa Conference League as the third Kazakh participant. Tobol advanced to the 2nd qualifying round of the UEFA Cup. Points for wins and draws in the UEFA Intertoto Cup were not counted for UEFA coefficients.
More in European Football Clubs in International Competitions
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced