Atyrau (9th)
The oil city where the Ural river meets the Caspian. A cup win in 2009 is the trophy cabinet's centrepiece; the club's real speciality is survival, season after season, on modest means.
Seasons 2023: 8th | 2024: 7th | 2025: 13th | 2026 so far: 9th (18 pts)
Form DDWLL
Goals for 1,1,2,0,1 conceded 1,1,1,2,2
Over 2.5 last 5 NNYNY match totals 2,2,3,2,3
Key players Igor Stasevich (Belarus international veteran and captain), Tsvetelin Chunchukov (Bulgarian striker), Joel Kayamba (Congolese winger). From the squad ratings file; last verified with the 2025 registration window.
Kairat Almaty (2nd)
The grand old club of Kazakh football, Almaty's Soviet-era flagship and the only Kazakh side that played in the USSR top league for decades. Home is the Central Stadium beneath the Tien Shan mountains. Serial cup winners, champions again in the modern era, and owners of the country's best youth academy.
Seasons 2023: 4th | 2024: 1st | 2025: 1st | 2026 so far: 2nd (39 pts)
Form DWWWW
Goals for 1,3,4,3,5 conceded 1,0,2,1,0
Over 2.5 last 5 NYYYY match totals 2,3,6,4,5
Key players Jorginho (Brazilian forward, joint league top scorer), Marc Gual (Spanish striker), Sebastian Zeballos (Argentine attacker). From the squad ratings file; last verified with the 2025 registration window.