Koloskov Evaluates Uzbekistan's Play-off Chances

Vyacheslav Koloskov, honorary president of the Russian Football Union (RFU), shared his thoughts on the Uzbekistan national team's participation in the 2026 World Cup and their chances of advancing to the next stage.

Statement by Vyacheslav Koloskov

The RFU honorary president considers the chances of our representatives advancing from the group to be difficult, yet he recognized the team's qualification for the tournament itself as a great success:

"The Uzbekistan national team still has a chance to reach the play-off stage. But to be honest, it looks very difficult. The group is not easy, especially considering that DR Congo drew against Portugal. Of course, we wish Uzbekistan success in reaching the next stage; that would be wonderful. But they have already achieved a historic result — qualifying for the World Cup for the first time."

WC-2026 Regulations and Group Standings

Currently, the Uzbekistan national team occupies fourth place in Group K. The overall format of the tournament and the conditions for advancing to the next stage are as follows:

• Tournament dates: From June 11 to July 19 (hosted in the USA, Canada, and Mexico).

• Participants: A total of 48 national teams, divided into 12 groups of 4 teams each.

• Play-off qualification: Teams finishing 1st and 2nd in their groups advance directly, as well as the 8 best 3rd-place teams across all groups.

Although the competition in the group and DR Congo's draw with Portugal have complicated the situation, our representatives still have a chance to secure a spot in the play-offs.