Why are Kazakhstan part of Uefa?
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Kazakhstan have been part of Uefa since April 2002, and its clubs and nations have competed in Uefa competitions ever since.
After the USSR was dissolved 1992, the Independent Football Association of the Republic of Kazakhstan (Fark) was formed. Kazakhstan joined Fifa and the AFC, Asia's governing body, in 1994.
But after Fark reformed to the Football Federation of Kazakhstan (KFF) in 2000, the KFF campaigned to switch to Uefa, due to part of their territory being in Europe.
In 2001, KFF left the AFC and became members of Uefa a year later.
With the KFF joining Uefa in April 2002, they had to wait until the 2002 World Cup had been completed, as well as qualification for Euro 2004 (due to the draw taking place prior to their arrival), before playing their first Uefa match.
Kazakhstan's first qualifying campaign as part of Uefa came in the 2006 World Cup, but they are yet to qualify for a World Cup or European Championship since joining.
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Kazakhstan teams in European club competitions
Kairat Almaty's debut Champions League campaign includes league phase matches against Real Madrid and Arsenal
While the national team had to wait until September 2004 to play an official Uefa match, Kazakh clubs have been part of Uefa club competitions since the start of the 2002-03 season.
Having failed to have a single club qualify for the first full round of the Champions League or Europa League in Kazakhstan's first 11 attempts, the 2013-14 season saw Shakhter Karagandy become the nation's first team to reach the Europa League's group stage.
The Miners picked up two points from their six Europa League group stage matches.
In this season's Champions League, Kairat Almaty have become only the second Kazakh team in history to reach a Champions League's league phase, with the previous being Astana during the 2016-17 season.
Kairat's Champions League debut ended in a 4-1 defeat away at Sporting earlier this month.
Astana have featured in seven seasons of European competitions across the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League.
This season, Kairat became only the second Kazakh club to play in multiple league campaigns, having made their debut in the 2021-22 Conference League.
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