FC Alma-Ata () was a Kazakh association football club based in Almaty between 2000 and 2008.
History In 2000 the club was formed as FC Tsesna in Almaty. Tsesna played in the Kazakhstan First Division for the first time in 2003, finishing second and earning themselves promotion to the Kazakhstan Premier League. Following their promotion, the club's management changed the club's name to FC Alma-Ata, finishing their debut season in 18th position under the management of Edgar Gess. The following season, first under Igor Romanov, and then Antonius Joore, the club improved its standing and finished 13th. 2006 was the club's best season; again with Antonius Joore as their manager, the club finished 5th in the league and won the Kazakhstan Cup for the first time. As a result of their Cup win, they qualified for the 2007–08 UEFA Cup for the first time.
In July 2007 Alma-Ata appointed Arno Pijpers as a consultant, whilst he continued his Kazakhstan national team duties, in preparation for their debut UEFA Cup matches against Slovak side ViOn Zlaté Moravce. Alma-Ata were defeat by ViOn Zlaté Moravce 4–2 over the two legs, whilst finishing 6th in the league and reaching the Last 32 of the Cup. The 2008 season was the club's last season, as after finishing 8th in the League and as Cup runners-up, Alma-Ata declared themselves bankrupt and ceased operations, with the majority of the club's staff joining FC Megasport before forming FC Lokomotiv Astana.
Names 2000 : Founded as Tsesna 2004 : Renamed Alma-Ata
Domestic history Season League Kazakhstan Cup Top goalscorer Manager Div. Pos. Pl. W D L GS GA P Name League20032nd22215346122481/16 Yerlan Urazayev2020041st183648242253201/8 Sergei Ostapenko & Yerlan Urazayev4 E.Gess20051st133093183043301/8 Sergei Ostapenko & Oleg Litvinenko7 I.Romanov / A.Joore20061st5301398362948Winner Jafar Irismetov17 A.Joore20071st630135123532441/16 Jafar Irismetov17 A.Joore / G.Babayan20081st83010713333937Runners-up Zhambyl Kukeyev6 M.Wilhelmus / B.Storck
Continental history Season Competition Round Club Home Away Aggregate2007–08UEFA CupFirst qualifying round ViOn Zlaté Moravce1–11–32–4
Honours Kazakhstan Cup Winners (1): 2006
References
See also Kazakhstan football clubs in European cups