2025 became a year of many “firsts” for Uzbekistan: the national team qualified for the FIFA World Cup for the first time in history, and Tashkent hosted the country’s first major concert by a global pop star. In the second half of the year, a major deal with Boeing was also signed. Below is a brief recap of the most talked-about events of 2025. This was reported by kursiv.uz.reports.
On June 5, Uzbekistan’s national football team drew 0–0 with the UAE, officially secured second place in the group, and earned a direct ticket to the 2026 World Cup. Before the decisive match, the team had a sufficient points cushion: they beat the UAE at home, convincingly defeated Kyrgyzstan and North Korea, and avoided defeat against Iran. As a result, by the final round of qualifying the team did not leave the outcome to “unexpected factors.”
A change in the World Cup format also contributed to the historic qualification: starting in 2026, the tournament will feature 48 national teams for the first time, with Asia receiving eight direct slots. Timur Kapadze led the team during qualifying, but in October he was replaced by Fabio Cannavaro—World Cup results will now be tied to the new head coach. The opening match is expected to be against Colombia, with the second round likely against Portugal.
In August, Jennifer Lopez performed her only concert in Tashkent at Milliy Stadium (formerly Bunyodkor) as part of her Up All Night: Live in 2025 world tour. It was recorded as Uzbekistan’s first-ever show by an AAA-level artist. The concert drew 31,144 spectators, including 15,330 visitors from abroad. Tax revenues to the capital’s budget exceeded 42.5 billion soums (about $3.3 million). Lopez leaving Uzbekistan with a gift—a large platter featuring her portrait—became a separate trend in the media and on social networks.
In September, on the sidelines of the “C5+1” summit, Uzbekistan reached an agreement with Boeing to purchase 22 Boeing 787 Dreamliner long-haul aircraft for Uzbekistan Airways. The deal was said to be worth more than $8 billion, with deliveries planned to start in 2031. Observers view the agreement as a symbol of a new stage in U.S.–Uzbek relations: Washington’s interest in the region is explained by a more pragmatic, business-driven approach, while Tashkent is seeking to give cooperation stronger economic substance.
In November, the American-Uzbek Business and Investment Council was established—expected to help coordinate joint projects. Uzbekistan also introduced a 30-day visa-free regime for U.S. citizens. However, reciprocal easing on visas is unlikely: the U.S. side is tightening entry requirements and visa issuance practices. In particular, it was noted that in 2024 the U.S. State Department rejected more than 64% of Uzbek applicants for visitor visas—the highest rate in Central Asia.
Starting in November 2025, air quality in Tashkent and other areas deteriorated sharply: the capital spent weeks under smoke and smog, the smell of burning was noticeable, complaints of coughing, throat irritation, and headaches increased, and pharmacies faced shortages of respirators. Temperature inversion worsened the situation—layers of polluted air “stuck” close to the ground and did not disperse for a long time. On some days, PM2.5 levels exceeded the norm by dozens of times, keeping pollution at hazardous levels throughout the day.
In response, authorities created a special environmental commission in the capital, empowered to shut down enterprises polluting the air. Oversight at construction sites and industrial facilities was tightened, some construction was temporarily halted, and stricter emissions requirements were imposed on factories and thermal power plants. On the president’s instruction, Tashkent’s greenhouses began an urgent switch from coal to gas. The fight against smog did not fully stabilize by year-end: at times the air cleared and mountains became visible, but changes largely remained weather-dependent. By the end of the year, pollution had not returned to November peak levels, yet it still remained above WHO-recommended standards.
On December 12, many Tashkent residents unexpectedly reported they could not buy their usual medicines: a pilot e-prescription project was launched in the capital and 15 districts across the country. Public backlash followed after paracetamol, aspirin, ethyl alcohol, and Nimesil were also included in the prescription-only list—leaving many pharmacies with little available without a prescription besides vitamins and dietary supplements. The Ministry of Health said complaints were being reviewed, the system was being improved, and the rollout would be phased: a working group and expert council were formed, an over-the-counter list was published, and unrestricted access to essential drugs in emergencies was promised. A full transition to e-prescriptions is planned by the end of 2026, but explanations still left many questions unanswered.
Year-end results also drew attention economically: the Uzbek som strengthened against the U.S. dollar by nearly 7%, even though experts had expected the national currency to weaken. On December 3, the dollar fell to its lowest level of the year—11,880.93 soums—and ended the year at around 12,025.33 soums per $1. The easing dollar pressure was mainly attributed to higher foreign-currency inflows: gold exports rose amid global prices, tourism and services revenue increased, remittances and external borrowing also played a role, while imports stabilized relatively.
A stronger som slowed price growth for imported goods and reduced inflation expectations. The economy’s dependence on the dollar also declined: the share of foreign-currency loans and deposits fell, and external debt servicing costs became relatively cheaper for the state and businesses. At the same time, exporters and import-competing manufacturers felt greater pressure under a strong som.
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