At the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, Uzbekistan’s national football team will be the only representative from Central Asia, reports FIFA.com.
During the October FIFA international window, fans also followed the journey of neighboring Kazakhstan, which was fighting for its first-ever World Cup qualification, though luck was not on their side.
Head coach Talgat Baysufinov’s men played an away match against North Macedonia in Group “J” of the European qualifiers, ending the game with a 1:1 draw. Despite being a sensational result, the two lost points effectively ended Kazakhstan’s hopes of reaching the World Cup.
Kazakhstan competed in a tough group with Belgium, Wales, and North Macedonia. The team defeated Liechtenstein twice (2:0 and 4:0) but lost to Belgium (0:6), Wales (1:3 and 0:1), and North Macedonia (0:1).
Therefore, the draw in the final round wasn’t enough to keep their qualification hopes alive. Baysufinov’s side will now play their last group match on November 15 at home against group leaders Belgium.
Thus, Uzbekistan’s national football team will remain the only Central Asian nation to take part in the 2026 World Cup. This achievement marks a proud and historic moment for the team and the entire region.
It also represents a new chapter in Uzbekistan’s football history — the team will now defend the honor not only of its nation but of all Central Asia.
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