The First Vice President of the Uzbekistan Football Association, Ravshan Ermatov, gave an extensive interview to Championat.asia, detailing the national team's preparation plans ahead of the World Cup. He shared important information about the training camp in Qatar, the FIFA Series tournament planned to be held in Tashkent, and subsequent training stages.
Ermatov emphasized that the Uzbekistan national football team will participate in the World Cup for the first time in its history, which represents a significant responsibility. The group-stage opponents — Portugal, Colombia, and an African team that qualifies via playoffs — are considered very strong and experienced. Therefore, detailed preparation for each match and presenting a strong challenge to the opponents have been identified as key priorities.
It was noted that the preparation process will begin in January with a training camp in Qatar. This camp will provide a vital physical and tactical foundation for the national team. In March, as part of the international FIFA Series project, organized in collaboration with FIFA, a series of matches are planned. Teams from South America, Central America, and Africa are expected to participate. Negotiations regarding these matches are currently ongoing.
One of the most notable aspects is that the FIFA Series tournament is planned to be hosted by Uzbekistan in Tashkent. According to the tournament format, two semi-final matches, a third-place playoff, and a final match will be held. This competition will provide the national team with the opportunity to test itself on a larger stage.
Subsequently, a two-week training camp will be held in Uzbekistan in May. Around May 20–25, the preparation will continue in Canada. This decision was primarily made to adapt to the time difference and acclimate to weather conditions. During this period, a friendly match will be played against Canada's national team. The agreement over this match has been finalized, and an official contract has been signed.
By early June, the main base for the national team will be definitively determined in one of the cities, where final preparations for the World Cup will take place. Additionally, a final preparatory friendly match is planned. According to Ermatov, all plans have been meticulously developed so far, and due to the FIFA calendar, there is limited room for significant changes.
Overall, the national team aims to prepare comprehensively for the World Cup, with this process being implemented step by step and according to a detailed plan.
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