Overview

• Following Thursday’s draw, the debutants will travel 6,908 kilometers to play Sporting Lisbon, a new distance record for the tournament, with Real Madrid also listed among Almaty’s opponents.
• Qairat qualified by defeating Celtic 3-2 on penalties after two 0-0 legs including extra time, with 21-year-old goalkeeper Temirlan Anarbekov saving three spot-kicks.
• Celtic drop into the Europa League after missing the Champions League group stage, with manager Brendan Rodgers calling the exit a bitter disappointment and captain Callum McGregor urging collective responsibility.
• UEFA’s expanded footprint now includes its easternmost participant, creating unusually long and complex travel for visiting clubs compared with previous seasons.
• The club’s breakthrough follows earlier qualifying wins over Olimpija Ljubljana, Kuopion PS and Slovan Bratislava, and brings a significant financial boost through UEFA distributions including a reported €18.62 million start payment.