Photo: Press service of the Uzbekistan Football Association
The Uzbekistan national football team has qualified for the FIFA World Cup for the first time in its history. In the 9th round of the third qualifying stage, Uzbekistan held the United Arab Emirates to a 0–0 draw away from home—a result that was enough to secure the team a spot at the 2026 tournament in North America ahead of schedule.
The UAE had been vying to overtake Uzbekistan for second place in their qualifying group but needed a win in the head-to-head match. The Uzbek side, by contrast, only needed to avoid defeat—and they did so with confidence. The hosts created only a few dangerous chances, all of which were neutralized by goalkeeper Utkir Yusupov.
The lead-up to the match was marred by tensions off the field. Emirati authorities complicated the situation for Uzbek fans, first canceling tickets not purchased in the designated away sections, then detaining male travelers from Uzbekistan at airports for several hours, and finally barring fans from bringing flagpoles and megaphones into the stadium. Officials cited security concerns, referencing a large brawl involving Uzbek citizens in Dubai earlier this year.
In other Group A matches, Qatar faced Iran, and North Korea took on Kyrgyzstan, who still have a slim chance of advancing to the next qualifying round.
Iran had already secured its place at the World Cup earlier in the campaign.
Uzbekistan will host Qatar in the final qualifying match on June 10.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will take place from June 11 to July 19 in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. For the first time, the tournament will feature 48 teams.
