Unexpected news has appeared in Uzbek football before the new season. Uzbekneftegaz JSC has sent an official letter to the Football Association of Uzbekistan, in which it announced that it would stop financing the Nasaf, Bukhara and Bunyodkor clubs.
This news is especially difficult in terms of time: there are only 15 days left until the new season of the national championship, and the Super League is scheduled to start on February 27. This means that the teams are entering a period of "quick planning": budgets, salaries, training camps, logistics, transfers - everything will need to be recalculated.
For your information, in the 2025 Super League season:
- “Nasaf” took 3rd place,
- “Bunyodkor” took 5th place,
- “Bukhara” took 14th place.
That is, we are not talking only about the lower clubs - there are also teams that aim high. Therefore, this decision may also affect the balance of power before the championship.
According to the report, this step is explained against the background of the priorities set at a meeting held at the presidential residence on January 30. At that discussion, it was noted that priority should be given to increasing operational efficiency in the company's activities, disposing of non-core assets, stopping sponsorship payments, and ensuring financial stability by rationalizing expenses.
Now the big question is how the clubs will act? The lack of a sponsor on the eve of the start of the season usually causes two-way pressure: financial on the one hand, and psychological on the other. But there is one thing in football: with the right management, even in such a situation, the team can not "fall apart", but, on the contrary, become even more united.
For fans, the most important thing in the current situation is clarity as soon as possible. Because February 27 is coming: time is running out, and the championship will be decided not by whose budget is bigger, but by whose system is stronger.
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