Uzbekistan Celebrates Landmark Achievement with First-Ever Qualification for the World Cup

Timur Kapadze, the coach of Uzbekistan, praised his players for their remarkable achievement after the Central Asian nation secured a spot in the World Cup for the first time ever.

The White Wolves sealed their place at the expanded 48-team finals for 2026 with a 0-0 draw in the United Arab Emirates on Thursday, ensuring a top-two finish in Group A, alongside already-qualified Iran.

Since gaining independence following the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, Uzbekistan has faced disappointment in seven unsuccessful qualification attempts, enduring heartbreak during the final stages of the continental qualifiers for Germany 2006 and Brazil 2014.

Having established themselves as a formidable force in Asia since their triumph at the 1994 Asian Games, the Uzbekistan Football Association has heavily invested in youth development to take that final step onto the global stage.

Kapadze is now reaping the rewards with a promising crop of young talent, including 21-year-old centre-back Abdukodir Khusanov from Manchester City.

“We’ve achieved an important milestone after a long and challenging journey. A significant amount of work has gone into this result, and I genuinely congratulate our nation,” Kapadze shared with Uzbekistan’s online platform Zamin.

“This victory is not just ours but belongs to the entire nation. Our players demonstrated determination in every match and exerted themselves fully, leading to this achievement …“

Having represented Uzbekistan 119 times and led the under-23 team at the previous year’s Olympic Games, Kapadze took over as coach in January after Srecko Katanec stepped down due to health issues.

“Prior to the match, everyone expressed strong confidence in our team’s success and anticipated a positive outcome from us,” he added.

“This confidence came with significant responsibility and pressure, but we managed to rise above it and fulfil our objective.”

After the match, Kapadze was surrounded by jubilant players during his post-match press conference and received a congratulatory call from Uzbekistan’s President, Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

“In fierce competition against Asia’s top teams, you have shown true character, unwavering will, and professionalism,” Mirziyoyev stated.