2026 Kazakhstan Premier League
| Season | 2026 |
|---|---|
| Dates | March 2026 - October 2026 |
← 2025 2027 → | |
The 2026 Kazakhstan Premier League was the 35th season of the Kazakhstan Premier League, the highest football league competition in Kazakhstan.
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]
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.[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 |
| Jenis | Astana | Astana Arena | 30,200 |
| 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 |
| 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 |  Nikolay Kostov
|
 Alibek Kasym
|
Adidas | Olimpbet, Kazchrome, A'su |
| Altay Oskemen | Vakhid Masudov
|
Sergey Khizhnichenko
|
TBD | TBD |
| Astana | Grigori Babayan
|
Abzal Beisebekov[8]
|
Adidas | Samruk Kazyna, Olimpbet, Okadzaki, Miglior, SportQory |
| Atyrau |  Vitaly Zhukovsky
|
Igor Stasevich
|
Macron | Olimpbet, A'su, Dodo Pizza |
| Elimai | Andrey Karpovich
|
 Maksym Koval
|
Puma | Altay Resurs |
| Irtysh | Kirill Alshevsky
|
Nikita Kalmykov
|
TBD | TBD |
| Jenis | Ali Aliyev
|
Islambek Kuat
|
Joma | Freedom Bank |
| Kairat | Rafael Urazbakhtin
|
Alyaksandr Martynovich
|
Joma | 1XBET, KNK Kemikal, EcoAlmaty, Alex Saryagash |
| Kaisar | Andrey Ferapontov
|
Duman Narzildayev
|
Adidas | Biali, Olimpbet, A'su |
| Kaspiy | Ruslan Esatov
|
Yerkebulan Nurgaliyev
|
TBD | TBD |
| Kyzylzhar |  Milić Ćurčić
|
Oleksandr Noyok
|
Kelme | None |
| Okzhetpes | Rinat Alyuetov
|
Niyaz Idrisov
|
Jako | None |
| Ordabasy |  Andrei Martin
|
Sultanbek Astanov
|
Puma | Olimpbet |
| Tobol | Nurbol Zhumaskaliyev
|
Roman Asrankulov
|
Macron | Solidcore Resources, Olimpbet |
| Ulytau | Nurken Mazbayev
|
Demiyat Slambekov
|
Cikers | Kazakhmys |
| Zhetysu | Kairat Nurdauletov
|
Berik Shaykhov
|
Adidas | None |
Foreign players
The number of foreign players is restricted to thirteen per KPL team squad of 25 players.
Foreign players in the KPL as of 18 January 2026.
For transfers during the season, see Winter 2025–26 transfers and Summer 2026 transfers.
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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 | |
| Turan | Vitaly Zhukovsky
|
Signed by Atyrau | 31 December 2025 | Rinat Alyuetov
|
12 January 2026 |
Regular season
League table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aktobe | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Qualification for the Champions League first qualifying round |
| 2 | Altai | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Qualification for the Conference League first qualifying round |
| 3 | Astana | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 4 | Atyrau | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 5 | Elimai | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 6 | Irtysh | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 7 | Jenis | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 8 | Kaspiy | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 9 | Kairat | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 10 | Kaisar | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 11 | Kyzylzhar | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 12 | Okzhetpes | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 13 | Ordabasy | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 14 | Tobol | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 15 | Ulytau | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Relegation to Kazakhstan First Division |
| 16 | Zhetysu | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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..[9]
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 | Club | Goals |
|---|
Top assist
| Rank | Player | Club | Assist |
|---|
Clean sheets
| Rank | Player | Club | Assist |
|---|
Discipline
Player
Club
References
- ^ "QFL Strategy and Development Plan for 2026" (in Kazakh and English). Kazakhstanskaya Futbolnaya Liga. Retrieved 2026-01-18.
- ^ Sports.kz (2025-03-20). "League Expansion Confirmed: Transition Rules for 2025/26" (in Russian). Retrieved 2026-01-18.
- ^ Vesti.kz (2025-11-15). "Three teams to join KPL in 2026 expansion" (in Russian).
- ^ "KFF Executive Committee approves new league structure". Kazinform. 2025-12-05.
- ^ Vesti.kz (2025-11-02). "Turan relegated as KPL prepares for 16-team format" (in Russian). Retrieved 2026-01-18.
- ^ Sports.kz (2025-10-28). "The return of a giant: Irtysh Pavlodar promoted to KPL" (in Russian). Retrieved 2026-01-18.
- ^ "Official Final Standings of the 2025 First League" (in Kazakh). Kazakhstanskaya Futbolnaya Liga. Retrieved 2026-01-18.
- ^ "Универсал Бейсебеков, который теперь стал капитаном. Как менялась роль игрока в "Астане"". vesti.kz/ (in Russian). Vesti. 17 March 2021. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
- ^ "Регламент Olimpbet-Чемпионата Республики Казахстан по футболу среди клубов Премьер-Лиги сезона 2023 года" [RegulationsOlimpbet-Championship of the Republic of Kazakhstan on footballamong the 2023 Premier League clubs] (PDF). Kazakhstan Premier League (in Russian). Retrieved 2023-01-26.
External links
- Official website (in Kazakh and Russian)