FC Astana facts for kids
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| Full name | Astana futbol kluby Астана футбол клубы Astana Football Club |
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| Nickname(s) | Sary-Kökter, Жёлто-синие (The Yellow-and-Blues) Astanalyqtar, Астанчане (The Astaneses) Qalalyqtar, Горожане (The Citizens) |
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| Founded | 2009 as Lokomotiv Astana | ||
| Stadium | Astana Arena | ||
| Stadium capacity |
30,254 | ||
| Owner | Samruk-Kazyna | ||
| General manager | Arslan Bespayev | ||
| Manager | Grigori Babayan | ||
| League | Premier League | ||
| 2024 | Premier League, 2nd of 13 | ||
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Astana Football Club is a professional football team from Astana, the capital city of Kazakhstan. They play in the Kazakhstan Premier League, which is the top football league in Kazakhstan. Their home games are played at the Astana Arena, a large stadium that can hold over 30,000 fans. The team's colors are sky blue and yellow, which you can see on their logo and uniforms.
The club has won many important titles. They have won the league title a record seven times. They have also won the Kazakhstan Cup three times and the Kazakhstan Super Cup six times.
Contents
History of FC Astana
How the Club Started (2009–2014)
FC Astana was formed on December 27, 2008. Two football clubs from Almaty, called Megasport and Alma-Ata, decided to join together. The new club was first named "FC Lokomotiv Astana." This name came from their main sponsor, Kazakhstan Temir Zholy, which is the national railway company. The club moved to the new Astana Arena stadium in the capital city.
In their first season, Lokomotiv Astana finished second in the league. In 2010, they won their first Kazakhstan Cup. However, they couldn't play in European competitions yet because a club needs to exist for at least three years to get a UEFA license. In 2011, the club changed its name to FC Astana. They also won their first Kazakhstan Super Cup that year. In 2012, they won the Kazakhstan Cup again.
Astana played in a European competition for the first time in July 2013. They played in the UEFA Europa League qualifying rounds. In 2013, FC Astana became part of the Astana Presidential Sports Club. This organization helps combine the main sports teams in Astana.
Winning Titles and Playing in Europe (2014–2018)
In 2014, Stanimir Stoilov became the new head coach. Under his leadership, Astana played well in the UEFA Europa League qualifying rounds. They beat teams like Pyunik, Hapoel Tel Aviv, and AIK. On November 1, 2014, Astana won the Kazakhstan Premier League title for the very first time!
In 2015, Astana won the 2015 Kazakhstan Super Cup. A big moment came on August 26, 2015, when Astana became the first team from Kazakhstan to reach the UEFA Champions League group stage. They played against famous teams like Benfica, Atlético Madrid, and Galatasaray. They earned four points in their group with four draws. Later that year, they won their second league title.
In 2016, Astana played in the UEFA Europa League group stage. They also won their third league championship in a row and the 2016 Kazakhstan Cup. In 2017, Astana made history again by reaching the knockout stage of the 2017–18 UEFA Europa League. They also won their fourth league title in a row. Coach Stanimir Stoilov left the club in March 2018 to coach the Kazakhstan national team.
Recent Years (2018–Present)
After Stoilov left, Grigori Babayan became the interim manager. Later, Roman Hryhorchuk took over as head coach. In February 2020, Astana showed off a new logo to celebrate their 10th anniversary.
Over the past few years, Astana has continued to compete at the top level in Kazakhstan. They have had several changes in coaches, with Grigori Babayan returning as head coach in September 2022. In the 2023–24 season, Astana played in the UEFA Europa Conference League group stage. They finished third in their group.
Astana's Home Stadium
Astana plays its home games at the Astana Arena. This stadium has been their home since the middle of the 2009 season. Before that, they played at the Kazhymukan Munaitpasov Stadium. The Astana Arena can hold 30,254 people and has a roof that can open and close. The very first game played there was a friendly match where Astana won 2–1. The stadium is also used by the Kazakhstan national football team.
Team Colors and Logo
When the team started in 2009, their logo had the name "Football Club Lokomotiv Astana" in a blue circle. In the middle was a blue letter "L" that looked like a railway track. When the club changed its name to Astana in 2011, they got a new logo with the team's name on a football image.
In 2013, they changed their logo again. This one had a football inside a "shanyrak" (a traditional Kazakh symbol) and two Kazakh patterns on the sides. The current club logo was introduced in 2014. It matches the style and colors of the Astana Presidential Club. This logo shows the team's name, Astana Football Club, with a flying football above it.
The team's first colors were blue and white. Blue was for the home jersey, and white was for the away kit. In 2012, they wore yellow and blue striped shirts. In 2013, they went back to their original blue and white. But when they joined the Astana Presidential Club, they adopted its colors: sky blue and yellow.
Their main sponsor is Samruk-Kazyna, a large company in Kazakhstan. Their first sponsor was the railway company, Kazakhstan Temir Zholy, from 2009 to 2013. Adidas used to make their uniforms. In March 2023, Astana announced that Chery is their new sponsor, and Nike now makes their kits.
The club recently announced that they will return to using their old crest after playing in their Europa Conference League group.
| Period | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor |
|---|---|---|
| 2009–2014 | Adidas | Kazakhstan Temir Zholy |
| 2014–22 | Samruk-Kazyna | |
| 2023– | Nike |
Players of FC Astana
First Team Squad
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Players on Loan
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For recent player moves, see List of Kazakhstan football transfers winter 2024–25.
Retired Jersey Numbers
Some clubs retire jersey numbers to honor special players. Astana has retired one number:
| No. | Player | Nationality | Position | Astana debut | Last match | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nenad Erić |  Kazakhstan |
Goalkeeper | 12 March 2011 | 27 November 2020 |
Club Staff
Management Team
| Position | Staff |
|---|---|
| Chairman | Sayan Khamitzhanov |
| General Manager | Gazinur Alimov |
| Executive Director | Baglan Yergeshev |
| CEO'S Counselor | Sayan Khamitzhanov |
| Sports Director |  Igor Pavlyuk |
| Finance director |  Luibov Krainova |
Last updated: 18 January 2022
Source: fcastana.kz
Coaching Staff
| Position | Staff |
|---|---|
| Manager | Grigori Babayan |
| Assistant Manager | Aleksandr Moskalenko |
| Assistant Manager |  Said Ibraimov |
| First Team Goalkeeping Coach |  Milan Stojkovic |
| First Team Fitness Coach | Arkadiy Bakulin |
| First Team Analyst | Amal Ayazov |
Last updated: 22 January 2022
Source: FC Astana
Famous Managers
These managers helped Astana win at least one trophy:
| Name | Period | Trophies |
|---|---|---|
 Holger Fach |
2010–2011 | Kazakhstan Cup, Kazakhstan Super Cup |
 Miroslav Beránek |
2012–2013 | Kazakhstan Cup |
| Stanimir Stoilov |
2014–2018 | Kazakhstan Premier League (4), Kazakhstan Cup, Kazakhstan Super Cup |
| Grigori Babayan |
2018 | Kazakhstan Premier League, Kazakhstan Super Cup |
| Roman Hryhorchuk |
2018–2020 | |
| Michal Bílek |
2020 | Kazakhstan Super Cup |
| Grigori Babayan |
2022– | Kazakhstan Premier League, Kazakhstan Super Cup, Kazakhstan League Cup |
Club Achievements
- Kazakhstan Premier League
- Winners (7): 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022
- Runners-up:(4) 2009, 2013, 2021, 2023, 2024
- Kazakhstan Cup
- Winners (3): 2010, 2012, 2016
- Runner-up:(1) 2015
- Kazakhstan League Cup
- Winners (1): 2024
- Kazakhstan Super Cup
- Winners (6): 2011, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2023
- Runners-up: (4) 2013, 2016, 2017, 2021
Team Statistics
Season Performance
| Season | Rank | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Cup | LC | CL | EL | ECL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 2 | 26 | 20 | 0 | 6 | 54 | 24 | 30 | 60 | 2R | — | — | — | — |
| 2010 | 4 | 32 | 14 | 8 | 10 | 41 | 28 | 13 | 50 | Won | ||||
| 2011 | 32 | 16 | 7 | 9 | 50 | 37 | 13 | 33 | 2R | |||||
| 2012 | 5 | 26 | 13 | 7 | 6 | 34 | 24 | 10 | 46 | Won | ||||
| 2013 | 2 | 32 | 19 | 5 | 8 | 56 | 28 | 28 | 38 | QF | 1QR | |||
| 2014 | 1 | 32 | 18 | 10 | 4 | 63 | 26 | 37 | 45 | SF | PO | |||
| 2015 | 32 | 20 | 7 | 5 | 55 | 26 | 39 | 46 | Runner-up | GS | — | |||
| 2016 | 32 | 23 | 4 | 5 | 47 | 21 | 26 | 73 | Won | 3QR | GS | |||
| 2017 | 33 | 25 | 4 | 4 | 74 | 21 | 51 | 76 | R16 | PO | R32 | |||
| 2018 | 33 | 24 | 5 | 4 | 68 | 22 | 40 | 77 | 3QR | GS | ||||
| 2019 | 33 | 22 | 3 | 8 | 67 | 28 | 39 | 69 | 1QR | GS | ||||
| 2020 | 3 | 20 | 11 | 3 | 6 | 32 | 21 | 11 | 36 | — | 2QR | |||
| 2021 | 2 | 26 | 17 | 6 | 3 | 53 | 25 | 28 | 57 | SF | — | 3QR | ||
| 2022 | 1 | 26 | 16 | 5 | 5 | 65 | 24 | 41 | 53 | 2QR | ||||
| 2023 | 2 | 26 | 16 | 5 | 5 | 36 | 24 | 12 | 53 | — | 2QR | 3QR | GS | |
| 2024 | 24 | 14 | 4 | 6 | 39 | 19 | 20 | 46 | QF | Won | — | |||
- Key
Rank = Rank in the Kazakhstan Premier League; P = Played; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points; Cup = Kazakhstan Cup; LC = Kazakhstan League Cup; CL = UEFA Champions League; EL = UEFA Europa League; ECL = UEFA Europa Conference League.
in = Still in competition; — = Not attended; 1R = 1st round; 2R = 2nd round; 3R = 3rd round; 1QR = 1st qualifying round; 2QR = 2nd qualifying round; 3QR = 3rd qualifying round; PO = Play-off round; GS = Group stage; R32 = Round of 32; R16 = Round of 16; QF = Quarter-finals; SF = Semi-finals; F = Final.
Club Records
As of July 18, 2025:
- Biggest European win: 4–0 against Maccabi Tel Aviv (October 19, 2017)
- Biggest European loss: 6–0 against AZ (October 24, 2019)
- Biggest League win: 7–0 against Atyrau (September 9, 2017) and Turan (July 18, 2025)
- Biggest League loss: 0–5 against Irtysh (May 26, 2011)
- Most consecutive League wins: 8 wins, from April 7, 2009, to April 30, 2009
- Most League games played: 308 by Abzal Beisebekov (2009, 2012–Present)
- Most games played overall: 433 by Abzal Beisebekov (2009, 2012–Present)
- Most goals in a League season: 19 by Junior Kabananga (2017) and Marin Tomasov (2019)
- Most goals in a season overall: 26 by Marin Tomasov (2019)
- Youngest player to play for the first team: Madi Zhakypbayev, at 15 years, 11 months, 21 days old
- Oldest player to play for the first team: Andrey Tikhonov, at 39 years, 9 days old
European Competitions
UEFA Club Competition Record
| Competition | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UEFA Champions League | 35 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 40 | 53 | −13 |
| UEFA Europa League | 49 | 18 | 9 | 22 | 67 | 80 | –13 |
| UEFA Conference League | 36 | 13 | 8 | 15 | 45 | 49 | –4 |
| Total | 120 | 43 | 28 | 49 | 152 | 182 | –30 |
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- Key
1QR = 1st qualifying round; 2QR = 2nd qualifying round; 3QR = 3rd qualifying round; PO = Play-off round; GS = Group stage; R32 = Round of 32.
UEFA Ranking
As of May 21, 2025.
| Rank | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 132 |  F.C. Paços de Ferreira |
12.453 |
| 133 | Rio Ave F.C. |
12.453 |
| 134 | FC Astana |
12.000 |
| 135 |  HNK Rijeka |
12.000 |
| 136 |  FK Žalgiris |
12.000 |
Player History
Most Games Played
This list shows players who have played over 50 official games for Astana. It includes games where they came on as a substitute.
| Name | Years | League | Cup | League Cup | Super Cup | Europe | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Abzal Beisebekov |
2009, 2012–present | 308 (15) | 38 (1) | 4 (0) | 10 (0) | 73 (4) | 433 (20) |
| 2 | Nenad Erić |
2011–2020 | 227 (0) | 16 (0) | 0 (0) | 7 (0) | 68 (0) | 318 (0) |
| 3 | Marin Tomasov |
2017, 2018–Present | 202 (91) | 13 (3) | 4 (1) | 6 (3) | 63 (20) | 288 (118) |
| 4 | Dmitri Shomko |
2011, 2014–2020, 2025–Present | 201 (7) | 9 (0) | 0 (0) | 7 (0) | 67 (5) | 284 (12) |
| 5 | Yevgeny Postnikov |
2014–2021 | 149 (2) | 10 (0) | 0 (0) | 6 (0) | 58 (3) | 223 (5) |
| 6 |  Marin Aničić |
2014–2019 | 148 (5) | 7 (0) | 0 (0) | 5 (0) | 52 (6) | 212 (11) |
| 7 | Tanat Nusserbayev |
2011–2016 | 152 (46) | 18 (5) | 0 (0) | 3 (0) | 24 (3) | 197 (54) |
| 8 | Serikzhan Muzhikov |
2014, 2015–2019 | 122 (16) | 10 (1) | 0 (0) | 3 (0) | 54 (2) | 189 (19) |
| 9 |  Patrick Twumasi |
2013, 2014, 2015–2018 | 123 (48) | 9 (6) | 0 (0) | 4 (0) | 35 (15) | 171 (69) |
| 10 |  Max Ebong |
2020–Present | 119 (8) | 12 (1) | 3 (0) | 4 (0) | 29 (0) | 167 (9) |
Top Goal Scorers
This list shows the players who have scored the most goals for Astana in official games.
| Name | Years | League | Cup | League Cup | Super Cup | Europe | Total | Ratio | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Marin Tomasov |
2017, 2018–Present | 91 (202) | 3 (13) | 1 (4) | 3 (6) | 20 (63) | 118 (288) | 0.41 |
| 2 | Patrick Twumasi |
2013, 2014, 2015–2018 | 48 (123) | 6 (9) | 0 (0) | 0 (4) | 15 (35) | 69 (171) | 0.4 |
| 2 | Tanat Nusserbayev |
2011–2016 | 46 (152) | 5 (18) | 0 (0) | 0 (3) | 3 (24) | 54 (197) | 0.27 |
| 4 |  Junior Kabananga |
2015–2018, 2018–2019 | 31 (77) | 3 (5) | 0 (0) | 2 (2) | 6 (44) | 42 (128) | 0.33 |
| 5 |  Foxi Kéthévoama |
2012, 2013–2015 | 26 (109) | 5 (13) | 0 (0) | 1 (2) | 2 (22) | 34 (146) | 0.23 |
| 6 | Roman Murtazayev |
2017–2019, 2021 | 25 (110) | 0 (3) | 0 (0) | 0 (4) | 5 (36) | 30 (152) | 0.2 |
| 7 | Abat Aymbetov |
2021–2024 | 23 (58) | 4 (14) | 0 (0) | 0 (1) | 2 (18) | 29 (91) | 0.32 |
| 8 |  Igor Bugaiov |
2010–2011 | 18 (57) | 6 (6) | 0 (0) | 2 (1) | - (-) | 26 (64) | 0.41 |
| 9 | Pedro Eugénio |
2021–2022 | 18 (29) | 6 (9) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (6) | 24 (44) | 0.55 |
| 10 |  Geoffrey Chinedu |
2024–Present | 13 (28) | 0 (1) | 3 (3) | 0 (0) | 5 (10) | 21 (42) | 0.5 |
Clean Sheets (Goalkeepers)
This list shows goalkeepers who have kept the most "clean sheets" (games where they didn't let the other team score) for Astana in official games.
| Name | Years | League | Cup | League Cup | Super Cup | Europe | Total | Ratio | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nenad Erić |
2011–2020 | 96 (227) | 7 (16) | - (-) | 5 (7) | 21 (68) | 129 (318) | 0.41 |
| 2 | Aleksandr Mokin |
2016-2019 | 24 (44) | 2 (6) | - (-) | 0 (0) | 1 (7) | 27 (57) | 0.47 |
| 3 | Josip Čondrić |
2023–Present | 20 (40) | 0 (3) | 1 (3) | 0 (1) | 5 (23) | 26 (70) | 0.37 |
| 4 | Aleksandr Zarutskiy |
2021–2024 | 11 (33) | 8 (16) | 0 (0) | 0 (2) | 0 (3) | 19 (54) | 0.35 |
| 5 | Roman Gerus |
2010 | 12 (23) | 1 (1) | - (-) | - (-) | - (-) | 13 (24) | 0.54 |
| 6 | Dmytro Nepohodov |
2019-2021 | 10 (24) | 0 (3) | - (-) | 1 (2) | 1 (5) | 12 (34) | 0.35 |
| 7 | Aleksei Belkin |
2010-2012 | 5 (14) | 4 (4) | - (-) | 0 (1) | - (-) | 9 (19) | 0.47 |
| 7 | Vladimir Loginovsky |
2013-2015 | 8 (20) | 1 (4) | - (-) | 0 (0) | 0 (3) | 9 (27) | 0.33 |
| 9 | Mukhammedzhan Seysen |
2024–Present | 5 (13) | 0 (1) | 3 (3) | 0 (0) | 0 (2) | 8 (19) | 0.42 |
| 10 | Roman Nesterenko |
2009 | 6 (15) | 1 (3) | - (-) | - (-) | - (-) | 7 (18) | 0.39 |
Club Partnerships
FC Astana has partnered with other football clubs to share knowledge and help players grow.
Real Sociedad (2013–present)
* Since November 11, 2013, Astana has worked with the Spanish team Real Sociedad. They share ideas about training, organize friendly games, and help young players develop their skills.
Galatasaray S.K. (2014–present)
* On April 29, 2014, the Astana Presidential Club signed an agreement with Galatasaray Sports Club from Turkey. This partnership mainly helps the football parts of both clubs work together.
Images for kids
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Match against AIK in 2014
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FC Astana in 2018
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See also
In Spanish: FK Astaná para niños
