Uzbekistan count down to World Cup debut with development the goal

TASHKENT – Uzbekistan will make their World Cup debut in 2026 with a focus on the future instead of immediate results as the team seek to establish themselves on the global stage, one of the country’s senior officials told Reuters.

Uzbekistan Football Association vice-president Ravshan Irmatov is no stranger to the World Cup, having refereed at three Finals, but believes their long-awaited qualification is merely the latest step in the country's football development.

“Qualifying for the World Cup has been a dream for 38 million people for 34 years,” Irmatov said. “You can understand how important it was for the Uzbek nation, we waited so long.

“We must enjoy the World Cup. This is our first time and you cannot put a high target or high goal because it puts pressure on the players and the coach. They have to be very calm, prepare well and then the results have to come.”

He added: “Our main target is development, not looking for the best result like the big football nations put in front of themselves.

“We are a country that is behind the developed football countries. The development is going fast now, and we hope a good development strategy and plan means the time will come when we can put higher targets.”

Uzbekistan’s first qualification comes after seven failed attempts to secure a Finals spot since the country was granted Fifa membership in 1994, following the break-up of the Soviet Union.

There have been several near-misses, but the expansion of the tournament from 32 to 48 teams, coupled with the federation’s development work, means the Central Asians qualified for the Finals in the US, Canada and Mexico with a degree of comfort.

Slovenian coach Srecko Katanec guided a team built primarily on home-based talent to the cusp of the Finals, before health issues forced him to stand down in January, leaving Olympic team coach Timur Kapadze to secure the ticket for the 2026 tournament.

“Several times in the past we were very close and in some qualifications it was only one point, one goal, or goal difference,” Irmatov said.

“It was always very close, and the disappointment was huge.

“In this qualification, we qualified directly from the group, and this is a really sweet, long-awaited result. It really makes all of our nation proud and happy.”

Uzbekistan confirmed their place at the Finals with a 0-0 draw against the United Arab Emirates in June. Since then, Fabio Cannavaro has taken over as coach, with the Italian World Cup winner being handed an initial one-year contract.

That deal has an option to extend through to the 2030 Finals, dependent on the team’s performances.

“We hope it will work in a good way, in a positive way,” Irmatov said of Cannavaro’s appointment.

“The whole world knows who Fabio is. First of all, he’s a good person. He was a top player before, a top professional in football and in coaching as well.

“From the first day, he started planning, he started to get familiar with the team in a very professional way. We respect his way of working, and he has the full support of the federation.”

While Uzbekistan are through to the World Cup, the UAE and Iraq shared a 1-1 draw in Abu Dhabi on Nov 13 to leave their play-off finely poised ahead of the second leg in Basra on Nov 18.

The winners of the two-legged clash will advance to an intercontinental play-off in March that will determine the final qualifier for the Finals in North America.

Both nations are attempting to qualify for the World Cup for the first time in a generation, with Iraq having previously appeared in Mexico in 1986 while the UAE made their solitary appearance four years later in Italy. REUTERS