An earthquake has occurred, and the Champions League will be held in Asia next season.

Kairat Almaty — a team from the Kazakhstan Premier League — made history by defeating Celtic in a penalty shootout to secure a spot in the 2025/26 Champions League group stage.

Kairat Almaty caused a major upset in history Champions League by beating Celtic on penalties after 120 goalless minutes in the play-off second leg. Coach Rafael Urazbakhtin’s team fought tenaciously and overcame the Scottish side in a tense match, winning 3-2 on penalties.

Before the match, Celtic was expected to easily advance after a goalless draw in the first leg. However, after traveling 3,500 miles to Kazakhstan, Brendan Rodgers’ team struggled and faced a painful defeat. Kairat Almaty’s 21-year-old goalkeeper, Temirlan Anarbekov, became the hero with three crucial saves in the shootout to secure victory for his team.

Following the victory, Kairat Almaty became the first club from Kazakhstan and the geographically easternmost club ever to compete in the Champions League group stage. Previously, only one Kazakhstani club, FC Astana, had reached the group stage back in the 2015/16 season.

This achievement is not only a great source of pride for Kairat Almaty but also a significant milestone for Kazakhstani football. A fan commented: “Kazakhstan’s second largest city, located at the far East, 4,500 km from Central Europe, will now become a challenging destination for Europe’s top clubs.” Another fan wrote: “The Champions League will now be held in the heart of Asia — an incredible milestone!”

After the match, Celtic’s coach Brendan Rodgers expressed his disappointment: “It’s very disappointing and bitter because we were on the right path last season, playing really good football, so missing out this season is a huge shock for us.”

He also added: “We all understand the consequences. We wanted to be in the Champions League. But it wasn’t possible. The Europa League is still a prestigious competition, but we missed a big opportunity in these two matches.”

This historic win is significant not only for Kairat Almaty but also for Kazakhstani football — a nation with limited impact in European competitions. By reaching the Champions League group stage, Kairat Almaty has proven its strength and opened a new era for Kazakhstani football, where they can compete against Europe’s top clubs in the 2025/26 season.

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