In a landmark moment for Uzbek football, Uzbekistan has qualified for their first-ever FIFA World Cup after a hard-fought draw against the United Arab Emirates on Thursday. The result secures their place in the expanded 48-team tournament set to take place in the United States, Canada, and Mexico in 2025, marking a historic achievement for the Central Asian nation.
Uzbekistan becomes the eighth team to confirm their spot in the global showcase, joining the three host nations—United States, Canada, and Mexico—who qualified automatically, alongside Japan, New Zealand, Iran, and Argentina. The qualification race remains intense, with Jordan, also vying for their inaugural World Cup appearance, and South Korea potentially joining the qualified teams later on Thursday.
Ranked 57th in the world and representing a nation of 36 million, Uzbekistan’s journey to the World Cup has been decades in the making. The country played its first match as a sovereign nation in June 1992, following its independence from the Soviet Union, and was officially recognized by FIFA in 1994. Despite their relatively short history in international football, Uzbekistan has steadily built a reputation as a competitive force in Asian football.
The road to this milestone has not been without challenges. Uzbekistan came agonizingly close to World Cup qualification in 2006 during a controversial campaign. In a two-legged playoff against Bahrain to determine the Asian Football Confederation’s representative for a final qualifier against Trinidad and Tobago, Uzbekistan won the first leg 1-0. However, a refereeing error prompted FIFA to order a replay of the match, and Uzbekistan ultimately lost on away goals, missing out on the finals in Germany.
Undeterred, Uzbekistan has been a consistent presence at the Asian Cup, qualifying for every tournament since 1996 and advancing to the knockout stages in each appearance since 2004. Their standout performances include reaching the semi-finals in 2011 and the quarter-finals in 2024, underscoring their growing prowess on the continental stage.
The qualification has sparked celebrations across Uzbekistan, with fans and players alike hailing the achievement as a testament to the nation’s footballing progress. As the team prepares for their World Cup debut, they carry the hopes of a nation eager to make their mark on the global stage in 2025.