This will be a historic debut for Riga FC in the group stage of a European competition. To reach this stage, Riga FC went through a gruelling and long qualifying campaign, showing their character on the European football stage.
Starting this season, the traditional group stage has been replaced by a single league phase involving 36 teams. All teams play six matches against different opponents (three at home, three away), and points are tallied in a single table. The match against FC Kairat will be the first opportunity for both sides to pick up their first points in the new season’s overall standings.
Riga FC’s path to the UEFA Conference League group stage:
Second qualifying round: North Macedonian side FK Vardar were defeated 8–4 on aggregate over two legs.
Third qualifying round: Hungarian side ETO FC Győr were beaten 2–1 on aggregate in a hard-fought tie.
Play-off round: In the decisive stage, the Riga side beat the Faroe Islands champions, Klaksvíkar Ítróttarfelag (KÍ), 2–1 on aggregate, securing a place amongst the top teams.
Riga FC’s opponents, FC Kairat, are the reigning Kazakh champions (having won the title in the 2025 season). In total, the club has been crowned Kazakh champions five times. In this season’s league table, they are putting up a strong fight to defend their title. FC Kairat currently sit in 2nd place out of 16 teams.
FC Kairat (full name: Almaty Kairat) is one of the oldest, most famous and most successful football clubs in Kazakhstan. The club was founded in 1954 and is based in the country’s largest city, Almaty.
On the Riga FC website, you can purchase a ticket package for all three of Riga FC’s home matches in the UEFA Conference League group stage. Tickets for individual matches are not available for purchase.