[87925] Uzbekistan in history: The first national team from Central Asia in the World Cup
[87925] Uzbekistan in history: The first national team from Central Asia in the World Cup
The Uzbekistan national football team made a historic debut in the 2026 World Cup in a match against Colombia, an event that sparked unprecedented national excitement in the country.
National History: Uzbekistan takes the field in the 2026 World Cup
This morning, June 18, 2026, a historic moment was recorded for Uzbek football, as the national team played its first-ever match in the World Cup. According to Sputnik Blizhnee zarubezhye (a channel known for its pro-Russian stance and extensive coverage of former Soviet Union countries), this is the first team from Central Asia to qualify for the tournament. The team is led by Italian coach Fabio Cannavaro and includes prominent names such as Eldor Shomurodov and Khusanov.
The excitement throughout Uzbekistan reached a peak even before the opening whistle. According to Andijon Bugun, residents in the Shahrihon district gathered accompanied by traditional orchestras to demonstrate support for the team. At the same time, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev ordered the start time of the workday for state employees to be delayed until 10:00 AM, to allow the public to watch the match, as noted in Sputnik Blizhnee zarubezhye.
During the match, which was reported live by Match TV and Sports", the Colombian national team took an early lead. According to reports from Toshkent Bugun, Colombia's lead goal was scored by Munoz after a pass from Diaz, in what was described by Sport na Kinopoiske as a dangerous breakthrough into the penalty area.
Despite the high expectations and the large crowd gathered in stadiums and viewing hubs, technical glitches were also recorded. The Toshkent Bugun channel criticized the state of the screens at the 'Bunyodkor' stadium, where about 10,000 spectators gathered, and tagged the event with the headline "What a failure".