In the 2012 Premier League season, Kuban began with a 2–1 away loss to Anzhi Makhachkala. Despite the replacement of Yuri Krasnozhan by Belarusian coach Leonid Kuchuk, the club remained in the top half of the league and set a home attendance record with 313,997 spectators in 15 matches. Kuban defeated Anzhi 1–0 on 26 May 2013 with a lone goal from Bulgarian forward Ivelin Popov, finishing fifth (the club's best Premier League finish). With this showing the club qualified for the first time for the UEFA Europe League, and at the end of the season Kuban had the highest home-game attendance in the league.