Kairat Almaty and Anderlecht meet in uncharted Europa League play-off territory

FC Kairat Almaty will host RSC Anderlecht in the first leg of the UEFA Europa League play-offs on Thursday, 20 August 2026, with the two clubs preparing for their first-ever competitive meeting.

The match will begin at 15:00 GMT at Central Stadium (Tsentralniy) in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

Neither side has faced the other in European competition, making this a completely new fixture in the continent’s football calendar. The opening leg gives Kairat Almaty the opportunity to use home advantage, while RSC Anderlecht will attempt to respond after suffering their first defeat of the season.

Kairat Almaty go into the tie with confidence following a 3-1 victory over FK Ulytau. They are in the middle of their competitive campaign and will seek to take advantage of their familiarity with local conditions and their record at home.

RSC Anderlecht also arrive with reasons for optimism. The Brussels club defeated PAOK 3-2 in the previous round after a promising period of preparation. However, that result was followed by a 1-0 loss at Beveren, their first defeat of the season, and they will be aiming to return to winning ways in Almaty.

The contrasting circumstances could make for an open contest. Kairat Almaty are expected to attack from the outset as they try to establish an advantage before the return leg. RSC Anderlecht, meanwhile, will be motivated to recover from the Beveren defeat and can draw confidence from their success against PAOK.

Africafoot’s prediction is a 2-2 draw, with both teams expected to have opportunities in an entertaining match.

The match details are:

– Date: Thursday, 20 August 2026 – Kick-off: 15:00 GMT – Venue: Central Stadium (Tsentralniy), Almaty, Kazakhstan

The game will be shown on Canal+ in France, while viewers in Germany and the United Kingdom can watch on Amazon Prime Video. In the United States, coverage will be available through Paramount+, CBS, Fubo, DAZN and TUDN / ViX.

DAZN will broadcast the match in Canada. The African broadcast will be provided by Canal+ Sport Afrique, with Stan Sport showing the game in Australia. Viewers in Brazil can watch on TNT Sports, while ESPN will carry the fixture across Latin America.

Betting company 1xbet lists RSC Anderlecht as the pre-match favourite. The odds put a Kairat Almaty win at 3.47, a draw at 3.54 and an RSC Anderlecht victory at 2.17.

The meeting is the first leg of the Europa League play-offs, with both clubs looking to take an important step towards qualification when they meet in Almaty.