Kairat Almaty have been knocked out of Champions League qualifying, a setback partly attributed to Kanye West having booked their home stadium for a concert. The Kazakh side lost 2-0 on aggregate to Bulgarian club Levski Sofia, with the second leg played over 500 miles from Almaty because Almaty Central Stadium was unavailable.
Stadium Booking Forces Venue Change
Kairat had qualified for the Champions League league phase last season, beating Celtic in the final qualifier to become the first team from Kazakhstan in the main draw. This season, they aimed to repeat that achievement, but their hopes were dashed.
Trailing by one goal heading into the second leg, Kairat were forced to play their designated home match away from their usual venue. The rapper Kanye West had booked Almaty Central Stadium for one of his comeback shows, requiring a change of venue to avoid being expelled from the competition.
Social Media Reaction
Despite the setback, a 1-0 defeat on the night confirmed Kairat's elimination. Social media users commented on the unusual situation. @bap_cfc wrote on X: “Kairat being eliminated from the UCL qualifiers because of Kanye West is an incredible bit.”
@DefNotMarshall commented: “The concept of Kanye West actually performing a concert in Almaty, Kazakhstan is absolutely hilarious.” On the match, @tylersteinberg3 remarked: “I was wondering why they were playing in a different city. It probably did have some negative effect.”
Looking Ahead
Kairat Almaty were seeking back-to-back Champions League main draw appearances. They will now play either PAOK or Anderlecht for a spot in the Europa League proper. Celtic, who could have faced Kairat in the Champions League, might still meet them in the Europa League if they lose their play-off clash.
