Uzbekistan fans will finally watch their national team at a World Cup finals tournament for the first time in 2026. The White Wolves, led by World Cup winner Fabio Cannavaro, make their debut on the global stage.
The Plan
It has been quite a journey for Uzbekistan. When Srecko Katanec took charge in 2021, he introduced an effective 3-4-3 system. His successors, Timur Kapadze and now Fabio Cannavaro, have stuck with it. The first round of qualification was straightforward: in a four-team group, they saw off Turkmenistan and Hong Kong and held Iran to two draws. The second round was favourable too, as Uzbekistan avoided giants like Japan, South Korea, and Australia, with away games relatively nearby. Their away fixture against North Korea was played in Laos, with the team arriving by chartered flight. Across both rounds, the White Wolves lost just one of 16 games, a 3-2 defeat in Qatar. All four games against Iran ended in draws. Goalkeeper Utkir Yusupov made a significant contribution, saving penalties in the two matches against North Korea.
The deterioration of Katanec's health during qualifiers came as a surprise. The Slovenian was unable to fly to Tashkent for some matches. "If I leave the national team for the third time due to health reasons, I will never return," Katanec said in summer 2024. He resigned in January 2025 and was replaced by Kapadze, who led the Olympic team to Paris 2024. Katanec said his successor "finished the meal I started to prepare." After securing a World Cup spot, the Uzbekistan football association planned to bring in a foreign coach. Cannavaro was selected from several candidates and signed an initial two-year contract. "I'm happy to be given this opportunity, it is a great honour. I came here not to change everything, but to continue the work that has been started," the 2006 World Cup-winning captain said on his arrival.
Group K Fixtures
- 17 June v Colombia, Mexico City (8pm local)
- 23 June v Portugal, Houston (noon local)
- 27 June v DR Congo, Atlanta (7.30pm local)
The Coach
Fabio Cannavaro played 18 matches at the 1998, 2002, 2006, and 2010 World Cups, lifting the trophy in 2006. He is second only to Gianluigi Buffon's 176 caps for Italy. However, his coaching career has been less stellar. In four years at Guangzhou Evergrande, he won one Chinese Super League title, while his reign as China's head coach lasted just two games. Short spells followed at Benevento, Udinese, and Dinamo Zagreb. "I have played many games on the field where I thought I had given everything. But after hanging up my boots and starting my coaching career, I realised that 90 minutes on the field can never be compared to the life of a coach," he has said.
Star Player
Abdukodir Khusanov is by far the most recognisable face in the Uzbekistan side – the country's first player to appear in the Champions League, Premier League, or Ligue 1. His father, Khikmat Khoshimov, also played as a central defender. At 17, Khusanov went to play for Energetik-BGU Minsk in Belarus but could only train, with foreign players not allowed to play competitively until age 18. "In Belarus, I suffered away from my parents – often there were training sessions three times a day. If there was heavy snow in winter, we would clear the field ourselves and then train," he says. During a whirlwind 2023, when Khusanov won the Under-20 Asian Cup and earned his first senior cap, Lens came calling. Within 18 months, the shy youngster was at Manchester City. "He is a top signing," Pep Guardiola said. "He is so coachable. He is always training good and gives 100%." The 22-year-old has won the FA Cup and League Cup this season.
One to Watch
Born in 2007 in the Namangan region, Behruz Karimov has always been impatient to progress. "I've been playing football since I was six years old. When I was in high school, I was rejected by the under-19 team of Navbahor because I was too young. After that I started trying to prove that age is just a number." In March 2025, the teenage right-back made his debut for Surkhan in the Uzbek top flight. In October, he scored his first goal. In January 2026, at age 18, he participated in the Under-23 Asian Cup, scoring against South Korea, and soon earned his first senior call-up. After breaking his toe in April, he underwent surgery but recovered in time for the World Cup. "After the injury I was very depressed, but everyone around me supported me. This also helped me get back on my feet faster."
Unsung Hero
Dostonbek Khamdamov played for Uzbekistan at every youth level, from winning the Under-16 Asian Cup in 2012 to repeating the feat at the under-23 tournament in 2018. After brilliant performances for Bunyodkor, Khamdamov – named the best young player in Asia in 2015 – moved to Anzhi Makhachkala in Russia in 2018 but played only nine games. Back home with Pakhtakor, the winger has won five league titles and three Uzbek Cups across two spells. Having had a spell in the cold with the national team, Khamdamov has found himself back in favour under Cannavaro.
What to Expect from Fans
Uzbek supporters travelled to a global football tournament for the first time in 2024, descending on Paris for the Olympics. They leave behind only good memories. Their most famous song is: "The Temurids have come, the Baburids have come" – the descendants of Timur and Babur – two empire builders in Central Asia – have arrived, meaning business.
Relationship with the US/Trump
The presidents of Uzbekistan and the US have met several times in recent years and relations are warm. "Shavkat Mirziyoyev is my friend," Trump said when they were together at the Board of Peace in Washington in February 2026. "He's got one of the most difficult names in history, but that's OK, it doesn't matter. Your country is doing great. You're doing great and just no problems. Every time I see him, nope, we're doing good, no problems." In November 2025, Mirziyoyev told Trump: "In Uzbekistan, we call you the president of the world."
