Ravshan Ermatov, the First Vice-President of the Uzbekistan Football Association, shared his thoughts on an important topic at the center of attention for the Uzbek football community — the national team's preparations for the World Cup. In an interview with UzA, he discussed the team's preparation plan, the training camp schedule, and the expected results from the mundial.
Ermatov noted that the Uzbekistan national team will officially begin training at the National Football Center on May 5. From that day until May 26, the team will conduct regular training camps at this facility to prepare thoroughly in both physical and tactical aspects.
Three control matches are also planned as part of the preparation process. These matches will be crucial for assessing the team's condition and forming the main squad. On May 26, the team will depart for the USA to begin training in New York.
Following this, on May 30, the team will travel to Canada to prepare for and compete in a friendly match scheduled for June 1. After the game, they will return to New York to continue a week-long training camp starting June 2. During this time, the players will have the opportunity to adapt to the new environment, climate, and time difference.
Additionally, another friendly match is expected to be organized on June 8–9. Final negotiations regarding this matter are currently underway. Then, on June 10, the team will head to Atlanta to settle into the FIFA-allocated base and conduct final preparations for their first group stage match against the first opponent — Colombia.
As Ravshan Ermatov emphasized, since the Uzbekistan national team is participating in the World Cup for the first time in history, the pressure on the team may be somewhat lower. However, this does not diminish the responsibility; on the contrary, it creates a great opportunity to prove themselves.
According to him, the road to the mundial has been long and arduous. The team reached this stage thanks to the prayers of the people, the trust and support of the Head of State. Now, the main goal is to participate worthily in the competition and bring joy to the fans.
Ermatov noted that the group opponents — Portugal and Colombia — are experienced teams that have participated in the mundial multiple times. Nevertheless, he emphasized with particular urgency that the Uzbekistan national team has also shown its best side in recent matches and has become a well-formed, strong team.
In short, a great challenge lies ahead for our national team. However, confidence and ambition remain high. All attention is now focused on the first historic appearance at the World Cup. Fans are expecting brilliant results from the team.
