Anderlecht faces record European trek to Almaty with 9‑hour flight

RSC Anderlecht will embark on the longest European journey ever for a Belgian club, flying 5,200 kilometres to Almaty, Kazakhstan, for a match that kicks off at 17:00 local time, after a nine‑hour flight that leaves the team facing a three‑hour time difference.

Record‑breaking distance and logistics

The 5,200‑kilometre trip to Almaty represents the furthest European away match ever for a Belgian side. The flight will last roughly nine hours, requiring a charter aircraft with only 60 seats, far fewer than typical European trips. Because of the limited capacity, journalists and sponsors will not travel with the squad.

Health and performance plan

Anderlecht’s performance staff have drawn up an Almaty-planDe and an Almaty-plandi to minimise the strain of the journey. Players will wear blue‑light‑filter glasses, don compression socks and perform regular activation drills. A mandatory “beauty sleep” is enforced, as Kazakhstan is three hours ahead, meaning the 17:00 kickoff feels like 14:00 back home.

Squad, staff and supporters on board

Goalkeeper Colin Coosemans is listed on the boarding passes, noted as Colin Coosemans.XFacebookUitstapje in the club’s internal notes. Only the players, coaching staff and a small delegation of the board will board the plane in Zaventem. Around 15 supporters are expected to travel, facing a stadium that holds 23,000 spectators.

Last season Club Brugge also travelled to Kazakhstan for a Champions League tie, but they landed in Astana, shaving more than an hour off the flight time compared with Anderlecht’s nine‑hour journey.

The match forms part of Anderlecht’s European campaign, intersecting with the Pro, LeagueChallenger, LeagueChampions, LeagueEuropa, LeagueConference and LeagueMeer fixtures that the club hopes to navigate successfully. The itinerary also touches on the LeagueDe schedule for the season.

De club acknowledges the difficulty, but it remains determined to compete. Maar the long haul will test every aspect of preparation.