2026 Kazakhstan Premier League
Football league season
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The 2026 Kazakhstan Premier League is the 35th season of the Kazakhstan Premier League, the highest football league competition in Kazakhstan.
| Season | 2026 |
|---|---|
| Dates | 7 March – 1 November 2026 |
| Matches | 48 |
| Goals | 104 (2.17 per match) |
| Top goalscorer | Jorginho (5) |
| Biggest home win | Astana 4–1 Zhetysu Aktobe 4–1 Tobol |
| Biggest away win | Okzhetpes 1–3 Kaspiy Altai 0–1 Kairat |
| Highest scoring | Astana 4–1 Zhetysu Aktobe 4–1 Tobol |
| Longest unbeaten run | 1 matches Kairat Aktobe Astana |
| Longest winless run | 1 matches Ordabasy |
| Longest losing run | 1 matches Tobol Altai Zhetysu Kaspiy |
| Highest attendance | 23,800 - Kairat vs Aktobe (16 March 2026) |
| Lowest attendance | 200 - Kaspiy vs Okzhetpes (17 March 2026) |
| Total attendance | 296,490 |
| Average attendance | 6,177 (19 April 2026) |
← 2025 2027 →
All statistics correct as of 28 May 2026. | |
Overview
For the 2026 season, the Kazakhstan Premier League will expand from 14 to 16 teams. This expansion was officially ratified by the Kazakhstan Football Federation (KFF) and the Professional Football League of Kazakhstan (QFL) as part of a long-term strategy to increase the professionalization of the sport and enhance regional representation across the country.[1]
To facilitate the increase in participants, a specific promotion and relegation format was applied to the 2025 season:
- Only one team (the bottom-placed club) was relegated from the Premier League to the First Division.[2]
- The top three teams from the Kazakhstan First Division earned direct promotion to the Premier League for 2026.[3]
The expansion marks a return to a larger league format, which was previously reduced due to infrastructure and financial licensing requirements. Under the new 16-team structure, the KFF has introduced stricter stadium and financial criteria to ensure the sustainability of the newly promoted clubs.[4]
Events
Teams
Following the conclusion of the 2025 season, Turan were the only club relegated to the Kazakhstan First Division after finishing in 14th place (last). This limited relegation was a one-time adjustment to allow for the league's expansion from 14 to 16 teams for the 2026 campaign.[5]
To fill the expanded roster, three clubs were promoted from the Kazakhstan First Division:
- Caspiy – The champions of the 2025 First Division, returning to the top flight after a two-year absence.
- Irtysh Pavlodar – The runners-up, marking the historic return of the five-time Kazakhstan champions to the Premier League.[6]
- Altai – The third-place finishers, securing the final promotion slot under the new expansion rules. Play in top flight for the first time.[7]
Team overview
| Team | Location | Venue | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Altai | Oskemen | Vostok Stadium | 8,500 |
| Aktobe | Aktobe | Central Stadium | 12,729 |
| Astana | Astana | Astana Arena | 30,200 |
| Atyrau | Atyrau | Munaishy Stadium | 8,900 |
| Elimai | Semey | Spartak Stadium | 8,000 |
| Irtysh | Pavlodar | Central Stadium | 12,000 |
| Kairat | Almaty | Central Stadium | 23,804 |
| Kaisar | Kyzylorda | Gany Muratbayev Stadium | 7,500 |
| Kyzylzhar | Petropavl | Karasai Stadium | 11,000 |
| Okzhetpes | Kokshetau | Torpedo Stadium | 4,100 |
| Ordabasy | Shymkent | Kazhymukan Munaitpasov Stadium | 20,000 |
| Tobol | Kostanay | Central Stadium | 9,500 |
| Ulytau | Jezkazgan | Metallurg Stadium | 2,500 |
| Zhenis | Astana | Astana Arena | 30,200 |
| Zhetysu | Taldykorgan | Samat Suyumbayev Stadium | 4,000 |
Personnel and kits
Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players and Managers may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| Team | Manager | Captain | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aktobe |  Štefan Tarkovič |
 Ivan Ordets |
Adidas | Olimpbet, Kazchrome, A'su |
| Altay Oskemen |  Vakhid Masudov |
Dmitriy Schmidt |
||
| Astana | Grigori Babayan |
 Marin Tomasov |
Adidas | Samruk Kazyna, Olimpbet, Okadzaki, Miglior, SportQory |
| Atyrau | Vladimir Cheburin |
Rinat Dzhumatov |
Macron | Olimpbet, A'su, Dodo Pizza |
| Elimai | Andrey Karpovich |
Ramazan Orazov |
Puma | Altay Resurs |
| Irtysh | Nurbol Zhumaskaliyev |
Samat Zharynbetov |
||
| Jenis | Ali Aliyev |
Islambek Kuat |
Joma | Freedom Bank |
| Kairat | Rafael Urazbakhtin |
 Alyaksandr Martynovich |
Joma | 1XBET, KNK Kemikal, EcoAlmaty, Alex Saryagash |
| Kaisar | Andrey Ferapontov |
Nurymzhan Salaidin |
Adidas | Biali, Olimpbet, A'su |
| Kaspiy | Erlan Shoytymov |
Amandyk Nabikhanov |
||
| Kyzylzhar |  Milić Ćurčić |
Yevhen Makarenko |
Kelme | None |
| Okzhetpes | Rinat Alyuetov |
Oralkhan Omirtayev |
Jako | None |
| Ordabasy |  Andrei Martin |
Serhiy Maliy |
Puma | Olimpbet |
| Tobol | Miroslav Romashchenko |
Askhat Tagybergen |
Macron | Solidcore Resources, Olimpbet |
| Ulytau | Nurken Mazbayev |
Sergey Keiler |
Cikers | Kazakhmys |
| Zhetysu | Kairat Nurdauletov |
Serikzhan Muzhikov |
Adidas | None |
Foreign players
The number of foreign players is restricted to thirteen per KPL team squad of 25 players. For transfers during the season, see Winter 2025–26 transfers and Summer 2026 transfers.
In bold: Players that have been capped for their national team. In Italic: Players that joined in mid-season
Managerial changes
| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Position in table | Incoming manager | Date of appointment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zhetysu | Samat Smakov |
End of contract | 14 November 2025 | Pre-season | Kayrat Nurdauletov |
17 December 2025 |
| Kyzylzhar | Milić Ćurčić |
End of contract | 31 December 2025 | Ali Aliyev |
5 January 2026 | |
| Atyrau | Kuanysh Kabdulov |
End of interim spell | 1 December 2025 | Vitaly Zhukovsky |
1 January 2026 | |
| Tobol | Nurbol Zhumaskaliyev |
Resigned | 21 April 2026 | 15th | Miroslav Romashchenko |
22 April 2026 |
Regular season
League table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ordabasy | 22 | 16 | 4 | 2 | 43 | 16 | +27 | 52 | Qualification for the Champions League first qualifying round |
| 2 | Kairat | 21 | 14 | 6 | 1 | 42 | 15 | +27 | 48 | Qualification for the Conference League first qualifying round |
| 3 | Astana | 21 | 11 | 6 | 4 | 34 | 22 | +12 | 39 | |
| 4 | Okzhetpes | 22 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 32 | 29 | +3 | 36 | |
| 5 | Aktobe | 22 | 10 | 5 | 7 | 32 | 26 | +6 | 35 | |
| 6 | Elimai | 21 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 31 | 26 | +5 | 32 | |
| 7 | Tobol | 22 | 8 | 4 | 10 | 26 | 30 | −4 | 28 | |
| 8 | Ulytau | 22 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 18 | 24 | −6 | 28 | |
| 9 | Jenis | 21 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 21 | 24 | −3 | 26 | |
| 10 | Kyzylzhar | 22 | 6 | 6 | 10 | 26 | 31 | −5 | 24 | |
| 11 | Kaspiy | 22 | 6 | 5 | 11 | 24 | 31 | −7 | 23 | |
| 12 | Atyrau | 21 | 3 | 11 | 7 | 15 | 21 | −6 | 20 | |
| 13 | Kaisar | 22 | 3 | 11 | 8 | 18 | 27 | −9 | 20 | |
| 14 | Zhetysu | 22 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 24 | 38 | −14 | 19 | |
| 15 | Irtysh | 21 | 3 | 8 | 10 | 20 | 30 | −10 | 17 | Relegation to Kazakhstan First Division |
| 16 | Altai | 22 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 19 | 35 | −16 | 17 |
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Matches won; 4) Goals scored; 5) Away goals scored; 6) Head-to-head points; 7) Head-to-head matches won; 8) Head-to-head goal difference; 9) Head-to-head goals scored; 10) Head-to-head away goals scored; 11) Draw..[8]
Results
Results table
Results by match played
W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss; P = Postponed
Positions by round
To preserve chronological evolvements, any postponed matches are not included to the round at which they were originally scheduled, but added to the full round they were played immediately afterwards.
| Leader and Champions League first qualifying round | |
| Conference League first qualifying round | |
| Relegation to 2027 Kazakhstan First Division |
Season statistics
Top scorers
| Rank | Player | Team | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
Top assist
| Rank | Player | Team | Assist |
|---|---|---|---|
Clean sheets
| Rank | Player | Team | Clean sheets |
|---|---|---|---|