Celtic vs Kairat Preview & Prediction | 2025-26 UEFA Champions League | Playoffs
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Brendan Rodgers and Celtic, for the first time in a few years, haven’t been blessed with automatic UEFA Champions League qualification, but they should still qualify.
Kick-off date/time:
How to watch on TV: UK – TNT Sports / US – Not televised
How to watch online: UK – Discovery+ / US – Paramount+
Key Stats
- This is the first UEFA competition match between these teams.
- Celtic have won their previous three UEFA competition two-legged ties against teams from Kazakhstan, most recently in the 2017/18 UEFA Champions League play-off round when they progressed to the group stage with a victory against Astana (8-4 agg; 5-0 h, 3-4 a).
- Celtic have won their previous three UEFA competition matches at home against teams from Kazakhstan.
- This is Celtic’s 40th European Cup/UEFA Champions League participation – they are one of only six teams to reach 40 (the others are Real Madrid-56, Benfica-45, Bayern-42, Dynamo Kyiv-41 and Ajax-40 *all updated with this season).
- Celtic are aiming for a fourth successive participation in the UEFA Champions League proper. Last season they went on to reach the knockout round play-offs where they lost against Bayern (2-3 agg; 1-2 h, 1-1 a).
- Celtic’s total of 13 appearances in the UEFA Champions League group stage/league phase is a Scottish record.
- Celtic have been successful in four of their last six UEFA Champions League play-off ties. Most recently in 2017/18 when they progressed to the group stage with a victory against Astana (8-4 agg; 5-0 h, 3-4 a).
- Celtic have won their home leg in five of their last six UEFA Champions League play-off ties.
- Kairat’s only previous UEFA competition encounters against a Scottish team were when they defeated Aberdeen 3-2 on aggregate in the 2015/16 UEFA Europa League third qualifying round (2-1 h, 1-1 a).
- Kairat are aiming for their first participation in the UEFA Champions League proper. The only previous appearance by a team from Kazakhstan was Astana in 2015/16.
- Kairat’s only participation in a UEFA group stage/league phase was in the 2021/22 UEFA Conference League.
- This is only Kairat’s third season in the European Cup/UEFA Champions League. The lost in the first qualifying round in 2005/06 and in the second qualifying round in 2021/22.
- Kairat are without a win in their last seven UEFA competition away matches (D2 L5).
Celtic vs Kairat prediction
Celtic come into this one on the back of a 4-1 hammering of Falkirk at Celtic Park in their most recent outing in Glasgow at the weekend. The Bhoys are already four points clear of Rangers in the Scottish Premiership and they are expected to do some impressive and interesting business before the end of this summer’s transfer window.
Kairat Almaty, champions of the Kazakh Premier League, come into this one on the back of a 3-2 defeat to Yelimay Semey domestically. In the UEFA Champions League, they edged past Slovan Bratislava on penalties with a surprise third qualifying round win after they had edged past Kuopion Palloseura having come from behind in the second-leg.
As Kairat make the long trip to Scotland this midweek, Celtic will be hoping and expecting to put this tie to bed in the first-leg with a heavy victory at Parkhead.
Celtic vs Kairat tip: Celtic to win -1 handicap
