Zhora Arutyunyan
Caretaker head coach
Kairat Football Club
Kairat are an Almaty football club, five-time champions of Kazakhstan and record ten-time national cup winners. In 2025 they reached the main stage of the UEFA Champions League, and they finished the 2026 Premier League season as runners-up.
Full name: Kairat Football Club
Founded: 1954
Stadium: Almaty Central Stadium
European competition: 2025/26 UEFA Champions League league phase participants
Nickname: the Yellow-and-Blacks
From Lokomotiv to Kairat
The club was founded in Almaty in 1954 as Lokomotiv. During the Soviet era the team represented the Kazakh SSR in national competitions and became one of the republic’s main footballing symbols.
The team was renamed Urozhay in 1955 and has played as Kairat since 1956. The club colours are yellow and black, and their home is Almaty Central Stadium.
Kazakh football and the Soviet era
Kairat were Kazakhstan’s main representatives in the Soviet top flight for many years. Their best finish was seventh in 1986. Several well-known players who became part of Kazakh football history played for the club.
In 1988, the Almaty side won the USSR Federation Cup.
Trophies in independent Kazakhstan
Kairat won Kazakhstan’s league in 1992, 2004, 2020, 2024 and 2025, lifted the national cup ten times and won the Super Cup three times. They collected 65 points in 2026 and finished second, three points behind champions Ordabasy.
European campaigns
Kairat played in the group stage of the 2021/22 UEFA Conference League and reached the Champions League’s main stage for the first time in 2025/26. It was the club’s biggest European achievement and attracted attention far beyond Kazakhstan.
Club matches and news
Next match
Kairat Almaty — MjällbyUEFA Conference LeagueLatest results
- Atalanta 1:1 Kairat AlmatyUEFA Conference League
- Kairat Almaty 1:1 AltaiKazakhstan Premier League
- Aktobe 2:2 Kairat AlmatyKazakhstan Premier League
Club news
- In Kazakhstan, Satpayev’s injuries linked to heavy workload at Kairat and with national team
- Kairat announce departure of Rafael Urazbakhtin
- Kairat Almaty draw with Riga in Conference League opener
- Kanye West forces Kairat out of Almaty for European qualifier
- Match Report: Kairat Edge Sutjeska 2-1 in UEFA Champions League Qualifier
Squad
Coaching staff
Timur Kasymov
Assistant coach
Vladimir Plotnikov
Assistant coach
Aleksey Ankudinov
Performance analyst
Ilya Yurov
Goalkeeping coach
Artyom Savelev
Fitness coach
On 26 October 2026 the club accepted Rafael Urazbakhtin’s resignation. Zhora Arutyunyan was appointed caretaker head coach. Updated coaching staff. Information as of 4 November 2026.
Goalkeepers
Temirlan Anarbekov
Position: Goalkeeper
Sherkhan Kalmurza
Position: Goalkeeper
Defenders
Luís Mata
Position: Defender
Lev Kurgin
Position: Defender
Aleksandr Martynovich
Position: Defender
Amirbek Bazarbaev
Position: Defender
Aleksandr Shirobokov
Position: Defender
Damir Kasabulat
Position: Defender
Erkin Tapalov
Position: Defender
Aleksandr Mrynskiy
Position: Defender
Lucas Áfrico
Position: Defender
Midfielders
Adilet Sadybekov
Position: Midfielder
Olzhas Baybek
Position: Midfielder
Jaakko Oksanen
Position: Midfielder
Sebastián Ceballos
Position: Midfielder
Azamat Tuyakbaev
Position: Midfielder
Dan Glazer
Position: Midfielder
Oiva Jukkola
Position: Midfielder
Mukhamedali Abish
Position: Midfielder
Forwards
Jorginho
Position: Forward
Edmílson
Position: Forward
Dastan Satpayev
Position: Forward
Ramazan Bagdat
Position: Forward
Abylay Toleukhan
Position: Forward
Ricardo Viana
Position: Forward