A long-cherished dream of the Uzbek people and millions of football fans has come true.

In the 9th round of the third stage of the Asian qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup, the Uzbekistan national team drew with the UAE (0:0) and, having earned 18 points, qualified for the World Cup for the first time in the country’s history. This triumphant achievement brought immense joy to all our compatriots and filled their hearts with pride.

Members of the national team, led by Timur Kapadze and having opened a new chapter in the history of Uzbekistan football, were greeted in a solemn ceremony at the Tashkent International Airport named after Islam Karimov by members of the government, sports officials, the players’ parents, coaches, members of the public, and devoted professionals in the field.

…The long-awaited moment arrived, and with heads held high, the footballers stepped onto their native soil.

“As a footballer and coach, I have dreamed of this day for many years”, said Timur Kapadze, Head Coach of Uzbekistan’s national team. “Undoubtedly, at the heart of this victory lies, first and foremost, the faith and support of our people. We were profoundly delighted that President Shavkat Mirziyoyev congratulated us by phone after the match. In his congratulatory phone call, the Head of State said: ‘Millions of football fans in our country, our entire nation, dreamed of this brilliant result, which will undoubtedly be inscribed in golden letters in the history of our national sports’. These words inspired not only me, but our entire team. We are happy to have fulfilled the cherished dream of our people. Now, an even greater responsibility rests on our shoulders, and we will make every effort to perform honorably at the 2026 World Cup”.

This achievement is a practical embodiment of the significant attention devoted in recent years to sports in the country, especially football. Systematic efforts have been made to popularize football, increase youth’s interest in sports activities, and form national teams capable of representing Uzbekistan with dignity in international competitions.

“Last year, we achieved a historic result by qualifying for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games with our Olympic team, and this year we’ve reached the World Cup with the national team”, said Uzbekistan national team member Abbosbek Fayzullayev. “The cherished dream of our people has come true, and I am proud to have contributed to it. Thanks to the broad opportunities created in our country and the great attention given to youth, we are now achieving great goals. For this, we sincerely thank the President and our people”.

Following the results of the 9th round of the third stage of the Asian qualifiers, the situation in Group A has become significantly clearer. Iran leads the group with 20 points, while Uzbekistan holds second place with 18 points. Both teams have secured early qualification for the World Cup. The UAE is in third place with 14 points, followed by Qatar with 13 points in fourth. Kyrgyzstan and the DPRK are next in the standings with 7 and 3 points, respectively. The final round of matches will take place on June 10: Uzbekistan vs. Qatar, Kyrgyzstan vs. UAE, and Iran vs. DPRK.

It is worth recalling that the 2026 FIFA World Cup, to be held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, will feature 48 teams. Asia has been allocated eight direct slots and one intercontinental playoff spot.

In the third round of the Asian qualifiers, 18 teams were divided into three groups of six, competing in a round-robin format (home and away). The top two teams from each group earn direct qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The six teams finishing in third and fourth place in the qualifying groups will compete in a final stage, divided into two groups of three teams each, following a round-robin format.

The top team from each group in the Asian playoff stage will secure a spot at the 2026 World Cup. The runners-up from both groups will face each other in a playoff match to determine which team will represent the AFC in the intercontinental playoff.

Prime Minister of Uzbekistan Abdulla Aripov attended the event.

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Tulqin Ruziyev, Javokhir Tashkhojayev, UzA