Overview

• The group-stage fixture is scheduled for Tuesday at 21:45 local time (18:45 GMT) at the 23,000-capacity Estadio Central in Almaty.
• Reports differ on the journey’s length, citing roughly 6,400 to nearly 7,000 kilometers, and coverage notes local conditions such as 850 meters of altitude and notable pollution.
• Éder Militão remains a doubt after a heavy knock at the Metropolitano, whereas Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Jr. made the trip with the team.
• Kairat enters the match leading the Kazakhstan Premier League following a 3-1 win over Zhenis, with the title race likely to run to the final rounds.
• Background reporting highlights Kairat president Qairat Boranbayev’s 2022 arrest and subsequent six-year sentence for embezzlement tied to manipulated gas purchases.