World Cup 2026 has been a defining moment for Uzbekistan

By Otabek Umarov, First Vice President of the National Olympic Committee of Uzbekistan

Qualifying for the FIFA World Cup will forever remain in history as one of the greatest achievements not only of Uzbek football, but of the entire sporting movement of New Uzbekistan. As the first country from Central Asia to reach the World Cup, this was a monumental milestone for our entire nation.

This accomplishment once again demonstrates that the reforms being carried out are delivering results, and that our country is taking its rightful place among the world’s leading sporting nations.

It is especially encouraging to see that our national team’s matches were followed not only by thousands of our compatriots in the stadiums, but also by countless international supporters. This was our window to the world. Football fans in Mexico City, Houston and Atlanta met a warm, friendly and welcoming group of Uzbek fans, reflecting the polite and courteous values of Uzbekistan. I have no doubt that our fans created long-lasting friendships with other fans around the world, inspiring people to visit Uzbekistan and learn more about our warm hospitality and rich culture.

The performances of our players attracted worldwide attention, while their dedication, character, and fighting spirit deservedly won the hearts of millions of football fans around the globe. Searches for ‘Uzbekistan’ on Google surged 450% during the FIFA World Cup 2026 period.

Our World Cup participation was the culmination of years of deliberate, strategic planning and investment in football and sport at every level. It created new economic opportunities, from increased sponsorship and broadcast interest to the growth of sports tourism and international partnerships. I am confident that the experience gained at a tournament of this magnitude will serve as a solid foundation for future victories.

This journey was never going to be easy. Defeats are part of growth. They build character, provide valuable lessons, and make future victories even more meaningful. What matters most is that we keep moving forward. We continue to grow, to learn, and we will not stop. This is only the beginning of a great journey for Uzbek football.

The scale of investment in football infrastructure across Uzbekistan in recent years has been transformational, covering the development of the facilities, academies and programmes that underpin our success today. This includes the construction of mini-pitches in around 70% of our communities, the renovation of roughly 15,000 school grounds and the establishment of a network of dedicated football schools that now support over 65,000 young players.

We are also investing in a new 55,000-capacity stadium, the largest in our history, which will be ready for the 2027 FIFA U-20 World Cup that we co-host with Azerbaijan. Every Uzbekistani som spent has been part of a coherent, long-term strategy, and the results speak for themselves – from a FIFA World Cup qualification and a Premier League player in Abdukodir Khusanov (pictured top with Otabek Umarov), to a 13th-place finish at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

We have firmly established pathways from grassroots participation right through to the professional and international stage, ensuring that talented young players are identified, developed and supported throughout their careers. A symbol of this ambition is the new Olympic City in Tashkent, the largest sporting complex in Central Asia, which gives our athletes world-class facilities and the latest technology to train and compete at the highest level.

Uzbekistan’s emphasis on youth development is already bearing fruit. The U-17 women’s team won the 2023 CAFA (Central Asian Football Association) Championship in Tajikistan, going unbeaten to lift the trophy. At home, the Uzbekistan Football Association has multiple strategic initiatives to further strengthen women’s football.

The future of football in Uzbekistan is bright. In 2025, we were crowned champions of the AFC U-17 Asian Cup, defeating the hosts, Saudi Arabia, in the final. Moreover, our women’s national team reached the quarterfinals at the 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup in Australia.

A major boost on the horizon is Uzbekistan’s award as host of the 2029 AFC Women’s Asian Cup. We will be the first Central Asian nation to host the tournament. This will of course be a major platform for the development of women’s football throughout the country.

Uzbekistan’s participation in the FIFA World Cup was a defining moment not just for football, but for sport and national identity across our country.

With around 60% of our population under the age of 30, our efforts will inspire a generation of young Uzbeks to play the game, and to pursue careers across the entire sporting ecosystem, from coaching and sports science to the business side of football. This will help our entire sporting ecosystem to thrive for years to come.