Where and when will the Uzbekistan Cup semi-finals take place? DFL announces controversial decision

24 October 2026, 10:18·57·Sport

The Professional Football League (PFL) has officially announced the dates and host stadiums for the 1/2 final matches of the Uzbekistan Cup.

Due to a number of changes in the tournament calendar and logistics, stadium renovations, and voting by the teams, the semi-final matches will be organized on neutral grounds.

Semi-final matches: Two heated clashes on November 24

In accordance with the agreement between the PFL and the clubs that reached the semi-finals, both semi-final matches will take place after the FIFA days in November — on November 24:

Andijan vs. Lokomotiv: The match will be held at the AGMK Stadium in Almalyk;
AGMK vs. Navbahor: The battle will be organized at the Lokomotiv Stadium in Tashkent.

Why did the centralized plan in Tashkent change?

Initially, it was intended that the decisive matches leading up to the final would be held in a centralized manner in the capital. However, the process was influenced by the following factors:

Stadium closures: The pitches of the main arenas in Tashkent — Bunyodkor, Jar, and Olympic stadiums — have been closed for repairs, while stand renovation work continues at the Pakhtakor arena;
Rejection of the Valley option: The League had put forward a proposal to hold the 1/2 finals in Namangan and Fergana and award the final to the 'Central' stadium in Namangan. However, this required the full consent of all 4 clubs. Since Andijan, AGMK, and Lokomotiv voted to stick with the previous plan, this proposal was not accepted;
International arena factor: Since Pakhtakor and Nasaf exited the cup in the 1/8 finals, and Neftchi in the 1/4 finals, favorable dates opened up in the calendar for the semi-finalists.

Where and when will the final take place? Two different scenarios

The venue for the decisive final match of the competition will directly depend on the semi-final results:

If Tashkent clubs advance: If capital teams make it to the final, the decisive cup match will take place in Tashkent;
If a Valley derby is observed: If Andijan and Navbahor reach the final, the decisive match will be held at the magnificent Istiqlol Stadium in Fergana;
Why is the final date unknown? FC Andijan has not yet fully resolved the issue of moving a safe distance away from the play-off zone in the Super League. Therefore, the date of the final will be determined after the semi-final matches conclude, depending on Andijan's position in the championship.