Uzbekistan National Football Team
Group
K
Confederation
AFC
Founded
1946
Ranking
50
Uzbekistan opened their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign with a convincing 3–1 victory away at Turkmenistan. The win set the tone for what would become a historic qualification journey, demonstrating early confidence and attacking proficiency in a crucial Round 2 group stage clash.
Uzbekistan opened their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign with a convincing 3–1 victory away at Turkmenistan. The win set the tone for what would become a historic qualification journey, demonstrating early confidence and attacking proficiency in a crucial Round 2 group stage clash.
In their next qualifier, Uzbekistan played out a thrilling 2–2 draw with Iran in Tehran. This resilient performance against one of Asia’s strongest teams provided crucial momentum and belief that they could compete at the highest level.
Resuming qualification in March, Uzbekistan travelled to Hong Kong and secured a 2–0 victory. This disciplined performance reinforced their lead in the Round 2 group and sustained their early unbeaten run.
Back in Tashkent, Uzbekistan delivered a convincing 3–0 win against Hong Kong, showcasing tactical control and attacking sharpness that kept their qualification bid firmly on track.
Uzbekistan continued Round 2 qualifying with a 3–1 win over Turkmenistan in Tashkent. The result kept them close to the top of the group standings as the preliminary phase neared its conclusion.
In the first match of the third qualifying round (Group A), Uzbekistan edged North Korea 1–0 at home. This narrow but valuable victory marked the start of the final stage and kept the team firmly in contention.
A tight tactical battle in Tashkent ended with Uzbekistan claiming a 1–0 win against the United Arab Emirates. The disciplined showing underlined their strategic growth in the third round.
Uzbekistan fought valiantly away to Qatar but succumbed to a dramatic 3–2 loss late on. Despite the setback, the team learned valuable lessons in resilience that would prove pivotal later in the campaign.
Uzbekistan responded to their defeat in Doha with a resilient 1–0 victory against North Korea in Vientiane. A late penalty save by Utkir Yusupov preserved the win and kept their World Cup hopes alive.
Returning home, Uzbekistan secured an important 1–0 victory over Kyrgyz Republic in Tashkent, solidifying their position in Group A with confidence building as the campaign entered its decisive phase.
In a pivotal away clash, Uzbekistan battled to a hard-fought 2-2 draw against Iran at the Azadi Stadium. This earned a crucial point that kept Uzbekistan’s hopes alive and showcased their tactical maturity against a continental heavyweight.
In Abu Dhabi, Uzbekistan secured the point they needed for historic World Cup qualification with a disciplined 0–0 draw against the United Arab Emirates. This result clinched one of the two automatic qualifying spots in Group A — Uzbekistan’s first ever World Cup finals berth.
Uzbekistan officially qualified for the FIFA World Cup finals for the first time in their history after the draw with the United Arab Emirates, completing a long national football journey and marking a historic milestone for the country.
Following qualification, celebrations erupted across Uzbekistan — from Tashkent’s main squares to regional cities — uniting the country in pride and anticipation for their debut on football’s greatest stage.
With qualification already secured, Uzbekistan finished their Group A campaign with a commanding 3–0 home victory against Qatar, sealing second place and underscoring the team’s quality and unity.