Kazakhstan Premier League Explained

Kazakhstan Premier League
Upright:	0.75
Country:	Kazakhstan
Confed:	UEFA (Europe)
Teams:	14
Relegation:	First Division
Levels:	1
Domest Cup:	Kazakhstan Cup Kazakhstan Super Cup
Confed Cup:	UEFA Champions League UEFA Europa League UEFA Conference League
Champions:	Ordabasy (1st title)
Season:	2023
Most Champs:	Astana (7 titles)
Tv:	Domestic Qazsport International Eleven Sports OneFootball
Current:	2024 Kazakhstan Premier League

The Kazakhstan Professional Football League (Kazakh: Қазақстан Премьер Лигасы, Qazaqstan Premier Ligasy), commonly referred to as Kazakh Premier League^[1] ^[2] or simply Premier League,^[3] is the top division of football in Kazakhstan. The League is controlled by the Football Federation of Kazakhstan and was set up in 1992. The League is fed into by the First Division and starts in spring and finishes in late autumn because of the low temperatures in the winter, with each championship corresponding to a calendar year. The majority of matches have been played at weekends in recent seasons.

Name changes

Top Division (1992–2001)
Super League (2002–2007)
Premier League (2008–present)

Current clubs

The following teams are competing in the 2024 season:

Team	Home city	Stadium	Capacity
Aktobe	Aktobe	Central Stadium (Aktobe) or ODSYUSHOR №8	14,500
Astana	Astana	Astana Arena	30,244
Atyrau	Atyrau	Munayshy Stadium	8,690
Zhenis	Astana	Astana Arena	30,244
Kairat	Almaty	Central Stadium (Almaty)	23,804
Maktaaral	Maktaaral	Alpamys Batyr Stadium	4,229
Kaisar	Kyzylorda	Gany Muratbayev Stadium	7,500
Kyzylzhar	Petropavl	Karasai Stadium	11,000
Ordabasy	Shymkent	Kazhymukan Munaitpasov Stadium	25,000
Shakhter	Karaganda	Shakhter Stadium (Karagandy)	19,000
Elimai	Semey	Spartak Stadium	8,000
Tobol	Kostanay	Kostanay Central Stadium	10,500
Turan	Turkistan	Turkistan Arena	7,000
Zhetysu	Taldykorgan	Zhetysu Stadium	4,500

Soviet winners of republican level

Note that some teams such as Kairat Almaty participated in the upper leagues of the Soviet annual football competition. There was no solidly established independent Kazakh championship and the republican winner was conditionally picked by the Football Federation of Kazakh SSR. Since 1936 there was taken places republican football competition among sports societies and agencies and later among "collectives of physical culture" (CPhC → KFK). Since 1980 champion of the Soviet Kazakhstan was also awarded to "teams of masters" (professional teams) competing in football competitions of the Soviet Second League.

1936 : Alma-Aty City
1937 : Dinamo Alma-Ata^[4]
1938 : Dinamo Alma-Ata^[5] ^[6]
1939–45 : No Championship^[7]
1946 : Dinamo Alma-Ata^[8]
1947 : Lokomotiv Jambul^[9]
1948 : Trudovye Rezervy Alma-Ata^[10]
1949 : Dinamo Karaganda
1950 : Alma-Aty City
1951 : Meliorator Chimkent
1952 : Meliorator Chimkent
1953 : Meliorator Chimkent
1954 : Dinamo Alma-Ata
1955 : Dinamo Alma-Ata
1956 : Alma-Aty City
1957 : Stroitel Alma-Ata
1958 : Spartak Alma-Ata
1959 : Spartak Alma-Ata
1960 : Yenbek Guryev

1961 : Avangard Petropavlovsk
1962 : ADK Alma-Ata
1963 : Tselinnik Semipalatinsk
1964 : ADK Alma-Ata
1965 : ADK Alma-Ata
1966 : Aktyubinets Aktyubinsk
1967 : Torpedo Kokchetav
1968 : Gornyak Jezkangan
1969 : Shakhtyor Saran'
1970 : Stroitel Temir-Tau
1971 : Yenbek Jezkangan
1972 : Traktor Pavlodar
1973 : Yenbek Jezkangan
1974 : Gornyak Nikol'sky
1975 : Meliorator Chimkent
1976 : Khimik Stepnogorsk
1977 : Khimik Stepnogorsk
1978 : Trud Shevchenko
1979 : Khimik Stepnogorsk

1980 : Meliorator Chimkent
1981 : Burevestnik Kustanay

Zone 7 (3rd level, included teams from other republics)

1980 : Traktor Pavlodar
1981 : Aktyubinets Aktyubinsk

Zone 8 (3rd level)

Zone 8 (4th level)

1990 : Vostok Ust'-Kamenogorsk
1991 : Aktyubinets Aktyubinsk

Sources:

Kazakhstan – List of Champions. RSSSF
The Kazakh SSR Football Championship (Чемпионат Казахской ССР). Footballfacts.
The Kazakh SSR Football Championship D2 (Чемпионат Казахской ССР D2). Footballfacts.

Best teams in republican competitions

7 – Meliorator Chimkent (1951, 1952, 1953, 1975, 1985, 1986, 1987)
5 – Dinamo Alma-Ata (1937, 1938, 1946, 1954, 1955)
4 – Traktor Pavlodar (1972, 1980, 1988, 1989)
2 – Alma-Ata (1936, 1950, 1956)
3 – ADK Alma-Ata (1962, 1964, 1965)
3 – Khimik Stepnogorsk (1976, 1977, 1979)
3 – Yenbek Jezkangan (1968, 1971, 1973)
3 – Aktyubinets Aktyubinsk (1966, 1981, 1991)
2 – Spartak Alma-Ata (1958, 1959)
2 – Shakhter Karaganda (1982, 1983)

1 – Lokomotiv Jambul (1947)
1 – Trudovye Rezervy Alma-Ata (1948)
1 – Dinamo Karaganda (1949)
1 – Stroitel Alma-Ata (1957)
1 – Yenbek Guryev (1960)
1 – Avangard Petropavlovsk (1961)
1 – Tselinnik Semipalatinsk (1963)
1 – Torpedo Kokchetav (1967)
1 – Shakhter Saran (1969)
1 – Stroitel Temir-Tau (1970)
1 – Gornyak Nikol'sky (1974)
1 – Trud Shevchenko (1978)
1 – Tselinnik Tselinograd (1984)
1 – Vostok Ust'-Kamenogorsk (1990)

Kazakhstan League Seasons

Champion	Runner-up	Third Place	Top Scorer(s) – Goals	Best Player
Kairat	Ordabasy (Arsenal SKIF)	Irtysh (Traktor)	Kogai (KSR) – 21	Volgin (KRT)
Irtysh (Ansat)	Ekibastuzets (Batyr)	Gornyak	Shmarikov (TAR) – 28	Kurganskiy (EKI)
Elimai	Irtysh (Ansat)	Ordabasy (Zhiger)	Litvinenko (TAR) – 20	Musataev (ORD)
Elimai	Taraz	Shakhter	Miroshnichenko (ELI) – 23	Miroshnichenko (ELI)
Taraz	Irtysh	Elimai	Antonov (IRT) – 21	Voskoboynikov (TAR)
Irtysh	Taraz	Kairat	Mazbaev (TAR) – 16	Voskoboynikov (TAR)
Elimai	Ekibastuzets (Batyr)	Irtysh	Litvinenko (ELI) – 14	Voskoboynikov (KSR)
Irtysh	Kyzylzhar (Access Esil)	Kairat	Agabaýew (KRT) – 24	Avdeev (KYZ)
Zhenis	Kyzylzhar (Access GG)	Irtysh	Mendes (IRT) – 21	Avdeev (KYZ)
Zhenis	Atyrau	Kyzylzhar (Esil B)	Tlekhugov (ZNS) – 30	Tlekhugov (ZNS)
Irtysh	Atyrau	Tobol	Lunev (SHA) – 16	Lovchev (ZNS)
Irtysh	Tobol	Zhenis	Finonchenko (SHA) – 18	Zhumaskaliyev (TOB)
Kairat	Irtysh	Tobol	Bakaev (TOB) / Tlekhugov (KRT) – 22	Smakov (KRT)
Aktobe	Tobol	Kairat	Tleshev (IRT) – 20	Zhumaskaliyev (TOB)
Zhenis (Astana)	Aktobe	Tobol	Irismetov (ALM) – 17	David Loria (ZNS)
Aktobe	Tobol	Shakhter	Irismetov (ALM) – 17	Smakov (AKT)
Aktobe	Tobol	Irtysh	Tleshev (IRT) – 13	Smakov (AKT)
Aktobe	Astana (Lokomotiv)	Shakhter	Tleshev (AKT) / Baýramow (TOB) – 20	Smakov (AKT)
Tobol	Aktobe	Irtysh	Bakaev (TOB) – 16	Zhumaskaliyev (TOB)
Shakhter	Zhetysu	Aktobe	Bakaev (ZTS) – 18	Konysbayev (SHA)
Shakhter	Irtysh	Aktobe	Bakaev (IRT) – 14	Bakaev (IRT)
Aktobe	Astana	Kairat	Zenkovich (SHA) – 15	Finonchenko (SHA)
Astana	Aktobe	Kairat	Foxi (AST) – 16	Islamkhan (KRT)
Astana	Kairat	Aktobe	Gohou (KRT) – 22	Gohou (KRT)
Astana	Kairat	Irtysh	Gohou (KRT) – 22	Islamkhan (KRT)
Astana	Kairat	Orbadasy	Gohou (KRT) – 24	Gohou (KRT)
Astana	Kairat	Tobol	Pizzelli (AKT) – 18	Pizzelli (AKT)
Astana	Kairat	Orbadasy	Tomasov (AST) / Eseola (KRT) – 19
Kairat	Tobol	Astana	João Paulo (ORD) – 12
Tobol	Astana	Kairat	Tomasov (AST) – 17
Astana	Aktobe	Tobol	Eugénio (AST) – 22
Ordabasy	Astana	Aktobe	João Paulo (KRT) – 17

Notes:

Historical names shown in brackets according to the season.
Best Player Award by FFK (1992–2005, 2008, 2010–) and GOAL Journal (2006–2007, 2009).

List of champions

Club	Winners	Runners-up	Winning years
Astana	7	4	2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022
Aktobe	5	4	2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2013
Irtysh	5	4	1993, 1997, 1999, 2002, 2003
Kairat	3	5	1992, 2004, 2020
Elimai	3	–	1994, 1995, 1998
Zhenis	3	–	2000, 2001, 2006
Tobol	2	5	2010, 2021
Shakhter	2	–	2011, 2012
Taraz	1	2	1996
Ordabasy	1	1	2023
Ekibastuzets		2
Kyzylzhar		2
Atyrau		2
Zhetysu		1
Total	32	32

Notes:

Teams in bold currently compete in Premier League.
Italics identifies either defunct or teams that lost professional status.

Performance by club

	Club	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01	02	03	04	05	06	07	08	09	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	1st	2nd	3rd	Cup	SC	FD	Total
1		1	11	11	9	6	3		3	4	5	7	7	1	3	7	13	10		10	11	10	3	3	2	2	2	2	2	1	3	4	4	3	5	6	9	1	1	25
2																			2	4	4	5	2	1	1	1	1	1	1	3	2	1	2	7	4	1	3	3		18
3		12	9	4	14	10	11				8	5	5	4	1	2	1	1	1	2	3	3	1	2	3	6	9	7	12		7	2	3	5	5	3	1	3	1	18
4	Irtysh	3	1	2	7	2	1	3	1	3	4	1	1	2	5	6	4	3	9	3	5	2	6	10	6	3	4	10	8	12				5	4	6	1			17
5		13	8	10	12	11			8	7	6	3	2	3	2	3	2	2	4	1	7	6	7	7	7	7	5	3	4	2	1	3	8	2	5	5	1			13
6		2	4	3	4	14	10	11	6	13	16		6	14	6	13	9	12	7	8	6	7	5	4	4	4	3	4	3	5	5	5	1	1	1	3	2	1	2	10
7		7	6	6	3	8	4	9	10	5	12	6	10	9	4	4	3	7	3	6	1	1	4	6	10	9	7	8	9	4	6	7	10	2		3	1	1		7
8	Zhenis	9	12	14	10	13	9	6	4	1	1	4	3	10	8	1	8	11																3		1	3			7
9		10	21			7	8	4	5	6	11	10	13	16		15	10	4	13		8	9		5	12		6	5	6	7	13		6				2		4	6
10	Elimai	14	17	1	1	3	7	1	9	8	7	8	9	19										12										3		1	1			5
11		5	14	8	2	1	2	10	14	11	15		12	7	11	10	16		8	9	9	4	10	11	9	11	11		10	8	10	12		1	2		1			4
12		19							2	2	3	9	11	6	7	12	11	13	14										11			9	4	10	5		2	1			1	4
13											2	2	4	5	10	14	14	15	6	5	10	11	8	9	5	8	8	9	11		11	11	7		2		1			3
14	Ekibastuzets	4	2	9	11	5	6	2	11	16	13		15	8	12	8	12																		2				1	3
15	Zhetysu	21	25		6	9			15	13	14		8	13	15		5	6	5	7	2	12	9	8	11	12		6	5	6	14		11		1				2	3
16	Okzhetpes	20				18	11	8	16	10	10	12	17	11	9	11	15	9	11	12		14			8	5	12			7	11			12							3	3
17	~~Vostok~~	11	10	12	8	12	5	5	7	11	9	11	14	12	14	9	7	16	10		12		11														1		1	2
18	~~Gornyak~~	8	3	13	5																															1				1
19		16	16	16				14					16	17						11		8	12				10	12			9	14							1	1
20		15	20		16	4					17																			10	8	9	13						1	1
21																																6	14						1	1
22																															12	13								0
23																																8	9							0

League participation

Note: The tallies below include up to the 2024 season. Teams denoted in bold are current participants.

33 seasons: Shakhter
31 seasons: Kairat, Tobol
29 seasons: Aktobe
28 seasons: Irtysh, Taraz
26 seasons: Kaisar, Zhetysu
25 seasons: Ordabasy
23 seasons: Atyrau, Okzhetpes
20 seasons: Vostok
18 seasons: Kyzylzhar, Zhenis
16 seasons: Astana
15 seasons: Ekibastuzets
14 seasons: Akzhayik, Elimai
- 9 seasons: Caspiy, Zhiger 8 seasons: Shakhter-Bulat
5 seasons: Alma-Ata, Tomiris
4 seasons: CSKA Almaty, Gornyak, Yassy
3 seasons: Turan, Ulytau
2 seasons: Aksu, Azhar, Ekibastuz, Maktaaral
1 season: Arman, BGS, Dinamo Alma-Ata, Dostyk, Kazakhmys, Megasport, Namys Almaty, Nasha Kampaniya, Sunkar, Yelimay

Soviet Top League participation

24 seasons: Kairat

All time top scorers

Rank	Player	Games	Goals
	Nurbol Zhumaskaliyev
	Oleg Litvinenko
	Nurken Mazbaev
	Murat Tleshev
	Andrei Miroshnichenko
	Ulugbek Bakayev
	Andrei Finonchenko
	Aleksandr Shatskikh
	Ruslan Imankulov
	Kairat Aubakirov
	Vladimir Loginov
	Viktor Antonov
	Ruslan Duzmambetov
As the end of 2014 season. (Bold denotes players still in Premier League)

External links

Official website (archived 31 March 2019)

Notes and References

Web site: UEFA.com . Kazakhstan – League . 27 July 2015.
Web site: Galiaskar Seitzhan. The Astana Times . Kairat Eliminates Former Euro Champions, Other Kazakh Clubs Less Lucky as Europa League Starts . 13 July 2015. 27 July 2015.
Web site: Kazakhstan Professional Football League . Premier League . 27 July 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190331202846/http://www.kpfl.kz/eng/championships/2 . 31 March 2019 . dead .
http://regional-football.ru/1937.htm 1937
united Dynamo team of Alma-Ata and Chimkent
http://regional-football.ru/1938.htm 1938
only cup competition in 1939 and 1940, no data for 1941–1944, no competitions in 1945. Regional-football.ru
http://regional-football.ru/1946.htm 1946
http://regional-football.ru/1947.htm 1947
http://regional-football.ru/1948.htm 1948