Kairat make stadium decision after Kanye West concert

According to information published on UEFA’s official website, the match will take place at the Kazakh club’s home stadium.

The game is scheduled for August 20 at Central Stadium in Almaty and will kick off at 8:00 p.m. Kazakhstan time.

Screenshot: uefa.com

Belgium’s most decorated club is coming to Kazakhstan

Brussels-based Anderlecht have won the Belgian league title 34 times, a national record. However, the club last won the championship in the 2016/17 season.

Last season, the team finished fourth in the league and lost the Belgian Cup final, meaning they began their European campaign in the second qualifying round of the Europa League. At that stage, Anderlecht defeated Sweden’s Hammarby — drawing 1:1 away and winning 3:1 at home. In the next round, the Belgian side beat Greece’s PAOK twice — 1:0 and 3:2.

In terms of squad value, Anderlecht are worth almost nine times more than Kairat: €81.4 million compared with €9.2 million. The Belgian club’s two most valuable players are each valued at €10 million — more than Kairat’s entire squad.

Kanye West “took” Kairat’s stadium for Champions League match

As a reminder, famous American rapper Kanye West held a concert at Central Stadium on August 15.

Before the event, Kairat said the concert had not been coordinated with the club, even though the team had a home Champions League qualifying match against Bulgaria’s Levski scheduled around the same dates.

Nevertheless, the match was moved to Turkistan, forcing Kairat to play a crucial Champions League game away from their home stadium. The Almaty club ultimately lost 2:0 on aggregate and were eliminated from the Champions League.

Condition of the pitch raises questions

After the concert, videos from Central Stadium began appearing on social media, with users drawing attention to the condition of the pitch. In the comments, some expressed concern about its state and urged organizers to assess possible damage.

At the same time, other users noted that the pitch had already looked far from ideal before the concert.

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Kairat have already secured European football for the autumn

Even if Kairat lose to Anderlecht, the club will continue competing in European tournaments through the end of the season. The Almaty side had already guaranteed themselves at least a place in the main stage of the Conference League following the previous round of Champions League qualifying