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FIFA World Cup

The World Cup Begins, and Central Asia Is Finally Part of It

Tonight, at midnight local time, the FIFA World Cup will get underway while Central Asia sleeps. For the first time, however, the region will be part of the story. When Uzbekistan walk out at the Estadio Azteca on June 17, they will be representing a region that has waited more than three decades to see one of its own at football’s greatest tournament. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, Central Asia has produced Olympic champions, world-class boxers, judokas, wrestlers, weightlifters, cyclists, tennis stars and chess players. It has staged major events, built new arenas and invested heavily in elite sport. But football, the world’s global game, has long been something the region watched rather than participated in. Uzbekistan are the first Central Asian country ever to reach the FIFA World Cup. Their qualification, sealed last year with a tense 0-0 draw against the United Arab Emirates in Abu Dhabi, was the culmination of years of investment in youth football, academies, domestic infrastructure and a generation of players no longer burdened by the near-misses that defined earlier campaigns. [caption id="attachment_50322" align="aligncenter" width="1774"] Uzbekistan's players celebrate qualifying for the World Cup. Image: TCA[/caption] The country had come close before, most painfully in qualifying campaigns for 2006 and 2014. FIFA’s decision to expand the tournament to 48 teams, derided by many as money-grabbing, has also played its part in expanding opportunity to countries that were formerly locked out. Uzbekistan’s breakthrough also comes at a moment when football across Central Asia is becoming harder to dismiss. Kairat Almaty’s Champions League campaign ended in defeat to Arsenal in London, but the Kazakh club’s presence at that level was itself a marker of change, and the chance to play against Real Madrid's Galácticos was savoured by many. Kazakh sides have also started to attract more recognizable names, including former Manchester United winger Nani and former Chelsea forward Victor Moses. These are still early signs, but they suggest that the region’s football ecosystem is becoming more ambitious, more professional and more visible. The face of Uzbekistan’s own shift is Abdukodir Khusanov. The Manchester City defender endured a difficult start in England, recovering from a gaffe-strewn debut to become an assured presence in one of the most scrutinized teams in world football. For some City fans, his arrival had initially looked like a gamble. “Uzbekistan isn’t exactly known for being a production line of talent,” Manchester City fan Ant Clayton said, recalling his skepticism when the club signed him. After Khusanov’s debut, Clayton thought the signing "looked like a big mistake". But by the end of the season, Khusanov had become a rock at the heart of City’s defense, helping the club to an English cup double and giving Uzbekistan something it had never previously possessed: a genuine world-class star playing at the summit of the European game. “Many of Europe’s best forwards have played against Khusanov in the last 12 months,” Clayton said. “In my opinion, not one of them has got the better of him.”...

Football

Central Asian Football Stays Active as Uzbekistan Prepares for World Cup

Uzbekistan’s football team takes to the global stage on June 17 in Mexico City, when it faces Colombia in its first round-robin match of the World Cup. Other countries in Central Asia that didn’t qualify for the event aren’t just cheering from afar; they’re training and competing in hopes of one day achieving the same goal. On Tuesday, Tajikistan held India to a 1-1 draw after a late penalty score by Sheriddin Boboev in a friendly match at the Hisor Central Stadium in Tajikistan. The draw followed a 3-1 win for Tajikistan over India in Tursunzoda four days earlier. “While India bravely defended wave after wave of Tajik attacks, they conceded the equalizer in a rather unwanted manner — via a penalty resulting from a handball,” the All India Football Federation said. The stadium filled up with more than 9,000 spectators, some waving Tajikistan’s national flag. The Football Federation of Tajikistan thanked fans for their support and congratulated team captain Akhtam Nazarov on his 100th match for the national team. Tajikistan’s coach, Igor Angelovski of Macedonia, said the two games against India showed “there were many positive aspects to these matches, but they also revealed certain weaknesses that we need to work on.” The team aims to be “fully prepared” for the Asian Cup finals in Saudi Arabia in early 2027, said Angelovski, who recently replaced Serbian coach Goran Stevanovic. Also on Tuesday, Kazakhstan’s national team lost 1-3 to Hungary after taking the early lead when Sergey Malyy scored off Maksim Samorodov's corner kick. Hungary equalized and then surged ahead in the second half, benefiting from a red card for Samorodov. The Kazakhstan forward was sent off, leaving his team a player down in the friendly, which was held in the Hungarian city of Debrecen. In an alarming episode, play was briefly delayed during the match when a television camera suspended on wires crashed onto the field and workers cleared away the debris. The equipment fell close to a cameraman on the ground, but there were no injuries. Uzbekistan’s performance in the World Cup will be cheered on by many people in Central Asia. They feel a sense of solidarity with the White Wolves, who also face Portugal and the Democratic Republic of Congo in group K. Those regional fans include Ruslan Mingazov, a midfielder for the Turkmenistan national team. “Uzbekistan are our brothers, neighbors, and we are happy for them,” Mingazov said in an interview with the Turkmenportal outlet. He said he also hopes Czechia does well because he played there for a long time and knows many of the players on the national team. Brazil, Portugal, and France are the favorites, while Morocco, Egypt, Norway, and Japan are among teams that could deliver surprises at the tournament, according to Mingazov. The World Cup will be held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, with an expanded 48-team roster. It opens on Thursday when host Mexico takes on South Africa in Mexico City.

Architecture

Opinion: Beyond Ornaments – Rethinking Kazakhstan’s Architectural Identity

Walking into the Flower of God Mosque in Astana, I was struck not by its grand domes or elaborate decoration, but by the experience of the space itself. Light filtered through the structure in unexpected ways, the interior unfolded gradually, and the building created a sense of calm. It made me wonder: can architecture express cultural meaning without directly reproducing traditional architectural symbols? This question is becoming increasingly important for Kazakhstan. Over the past two decades, the country has transformed its urban landscape through ambitious construction projects. New airports, museums, universities, financial centers, and religious buildings have reshaped cities, particularly Astana. As Kazakhstan seeks to position itself as a modern state connecting Europe and Asia, architecture has become one of the most visible expressions of national identity. Yet a fundamental challenge remains unresolved: how can architecture be modern while also expressing what it means to be Kazakh? National ornaments appear on glass facades and stylized references to the yurt shape public buildings. While these references are familiar and visually recognizable, they do not necessarily create meaningful architecture. Cultural identity cannot simply be attached to a building like decoration. This approach reflects what architects often describe as direct design: the use of recognizable forms and symbols to communicate meaning. Domes, arches, ornaments, and historical references immediately signal cultural identity because they are easy to recognize. Such architecture can create a strong visual connection to heritage, but relying solely on symbolism risks becoming superficial. An alternative approach focuses not on reproducing historical forms but on interpreting the values behind them. Instead of asking how a building should look, architects ask how it should feel. Meaning emerges through light, space, movement, and human experience. Astana's architectural landscape offers several examples of how national identity has been translated into built form. The Baiterek Monument offers perhaps the clearest example of symbolic architecture in Kazakhstan. Drawing on the legend of the Tree of Life and the Samruk bird, it transforms a national myth into a physical structure that is immediately recognizable. Its meaning is communicated directly through form and narrative, making it one of the country's most powerful architectural symbols. [caption id="attachment_50124" align="aligncenter" width="2560"] Baiterek, Astana; image: TCA[/caption] Yet the monument also raises an important question. While visitors can easily recognize the symbolism, do they experience the myth itself? Does the ascent through the tower evoke the journey up the Tree of Life, or does the golden sphere create the sensation of entering the sacred egg of the Samruk bird? The symbolism is clearly represented, but the extent to which it is translated into a spatial experience remains open to interpretation. Khan Shatyr occupies a unique place in Kazakhstan's architectural landscape. Its tent-like form directly references the nomadic heritage of the steppe, making it one of the country's most recognizable cultural symbols. Yet the project also raises an important question: is reproducing a familiar image enough to convey a cultural experience? [caption id="attachment_50122" align="aligncenter" width="1280"] Khan Shatyr, Astana; image: Bgag[/caption] Despite its obvious reference to...

Cultural Heritage

Samarkand’s Sher-Dor Madrasah Restoration Reaches First Milestone With U.S. Support

A major international effort to preserve one of Central Asia’s most iconic architectural monuments has reached a new milestone, with officials in Samarkand marking the completion of the first phase of restoration work on the façade of the Sher-Dor Madrasah, part of the historic Registan Square complex. According to a June 3 report from the Uzbekistan Art and Culture Development Foundation (ACDF), the ceremony was attended by Sarah Rogers, the United States under secretary of state for public diplomacy and public affairs, ACDF Chairperson Gayane Umerova, and U.S. Ambassador to Uzbekistan Jonathan Henick. The restoration project focuses on the conservation of the Sher-Dor Madrasah’s historic façade, including its mosaics, majolica decorations, ornamental elements, and Kufic inscriptions. The work forms part of a three-phase program supported by the U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP). During the event, ACDF and the U.S. Embassy in Uzbekistan also signed a five-year roadmap for cooperation aimed at expanding joint initiatives in cultural heritage preservation and cultural exchange. The project is one of the largest cultural heritage grants awarded to Uzbekistan by the U.S. government. According to the U.S. Embassy, the Cultural Heritage Agency of Uzbekistan secured a $500,000 AFCP grant after its proposal was selected through a global competition. The award was both the largest in that year’s competition and the largest AFCP grant ever received by Uzbekistan. The initiative is being implemented by the Cultural Heritage Agency with technical support from the International Institute for Central Asian Studies. Local craftsmen and restoration specialists are carrying out the work, while international experts are providing consultation and access to scientific documentation and conservation resources. During the ceremony in Samarkand, Henick and Umerova exchanged a letter of intent reaffirming their commitment to advancing the action plan and expanding bilateral cooperation in the field. Umerova, who is also head of the Department of Creative Economy and Tourism of the Administration of the President of Uzbekistan, said the project is about more than preserving a historic building. “We are grateful to the United States Embassy and the Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation for their partnership and shared commitment to safeguarding cultural heritage. Together, we are preserving not only one of the world’s most remarkable architectural ensembles, but also the traditions and craftsmanship that give it meaning,” Umerova said. She noted that the Registan has served as a symbol of learning and cultural exchange for centuries and described the restoration project as an example of international cooperation built on mutual respect and a shared responsibility to protect cultural heritage. “We are thrilled to be part of the restoration efforts of the beautiful and iconic Sher-Dor Madrasah in the historic Registan Square,” Henick said. “These efforts will help preserve this important monument for many generations to come and for all humanity.” The Sher-Dor restoration forms part of a 2023 cultural property agreement between Uzbekistan and the U.S. The agreement created a framework for cooperation on protecting cultural heritage, including measures to combat the illicit trade in archaeological and ethnological material...

Venice Biennale

The Aural Sea: Uzbekistan’s Pavilion at the 2026 Venice Biennale

No other edition of the Venice Biennale has seen Central Asia so well represented. Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan all have their own national pavilions, and there are also two exhibitions featuring Central Asian artists at the Palazzo Franchetti – “Instruments of the Mind” by the Uzbek conceptual artist Vyacheslav Akhunov, and the show “TURANDOT: To the Daughters of the East”. All three national pavilions have nailed the theme for the 61st Biennale: “In Minor Keys”. Conceived by the late curator Koyo Kouoh, this edition of the Biennale aims to showcase subjects that might not be the major issues of our times. Each pavilion has done so by connecting specific problems concerning the region to wider cultural or ecological concerns. You can read the Times of Central Asia's coverage of the Kazakh pavilion here. The Uzbekistan Pavilion, housed in the Quarta Tesa of the Arsenale, tackles ecological crisis in a way that is deeply personal to the country, but can speak to everyone. The pavilion conveys beauty and hope while not shying away from destruction. The Aural Sea It’s all there the pavilion’s title. "The Aural Sea" is a play on the Aral Sea, one of the great ecological tragedies of our times. You are being asked, before you even enter, to prepare for an alchemy of sorts. The Aral Sea – or rather, the place where the Aral Sea used to be – sits predominantly in the autonomous republic of Karakalpakstan, in Uzbekistan’s northwest. In the 1960s, Soviet irrigation projects redirected the rivers that fed it, and over the following decades, the world's fourth largest inland lake shrank to a fraction of its former size, leaving behind a salt desert scattered with the rusting hulls of fishing boats. [caption id="attachment_32633" align="aligncenter" width="1600"] Stranded boats on the former shoreline of the Aral Sea; image: TCA, Joe Luc Barnes[/caption] It is one of the most complete environmental catastrophes of the twentieth century, but the Uzbekistan Pavilion decides to speak about the crisis in an imaginative and almost abstract language. Bringing together perspectives from Central Asia – as well as from even further east – the curators position myths and fiction as alternative systems of knowledge, capable of carrying emotional and ecological memory. The curatorial framework was developed by the inaugural cohort of the Bukhara Biennial Curatorial School, constituted by Kamila Mukhitdinova, Sophie Mayuko Arni, Nico Sun, Thái Hà and Aziza Izamova. The collective was assembled through Uzbekistan’s Art and Cultural Development Foundation, convened by curator Diana Campbell (who already curated the much-acclaimed Bukhara Biennale) in partnership with the Delfina Foundation. The exhibition takes its cue from Allayar Darmenov, a young Karakalpak author who began writing about the Aral Sea in 2015, and has created new mythologies around it for contemporary times. [caption id="attachment_50040" align="aligncenter" width="2500"] Installation view, The Aural Sea, Uzbekistan National Pavilion, 61st International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia, 2026. Photo by Gerda Studio. Courtesy of the Uzbekistan Art and Culture Development Foundation. [/caption] The Artworks Coming into the...

Archaeology

Bronze Age Trepanation in Uzbekistan May Be Central Asia’s Oldest Evidence of Surgery

Archaeologists working in southern Uzbekistan have uncovered what may be the earliest known evidence of surgery in Central Asia. The discovery involves the remains of a Bronze Age child whose skull bears signs of trepanation, a procedure involving the deliberate opening of the skull. The discovery was reported by the Turkish archaeology magazine Arkeofili, citing research conducted by a joint Italian-Uzbek archaeological team in the historic region of Northern Bactria, near the present-day border with Afghanistan. Researchers found the skeleton of a child who died at about age five in a shared grave with another child believed to have been about three years old. The burial dates to the late third millennium BCE, approximately 4,000 years ago. According to the researchers, the older child’s skull shows clear traces of cranial trepanation, likely performed using stone or bone tools. The marks indicate that the skull was intentionally opened, making it one of the oldest known examples of surgical intervention in Asia and potentially the earliest documented evidence of surgery in Central Asia. Trepanation was practiced in various ancient societies around the world. Scholars believe it may have been used to treat conditions such as head injuries, epilepsy, severe headaches, or behavioral disorders. However, researchers note that in prehistoric societies, the boundary between medicine and ritual practice was often unclear. The remains were discovered during excavations at Djarkutan, one of the major urban centers of the Oxus Civilization, also known as the Bactria-Margiana Archaeological Complex. The civilization flourished across parts of modern-day Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan between roughly 2500 BCE and 1500 BCE. It was known for its advanced agricultural systems, urban settlements, and rich material culture. The discovery adds to growing evidence that ancient Central Asia played a significant role in the development of early human societies. Last year, an international team of archaeologists reported finding evidence that hunter-gatherer communities in Uzbekistan’s Surkhandarya Valley harvested wild barley about 9,200 years ago. Researchers said the finding challenged the long-held view that the origins of agriculture were limited primarily to the Fertile Crescent.