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Sports

Uzbek Defender Abdukodir Khusanov Named Asia’s Best Young Footballer of 2025

Abdukodir Khusanov, central defender for the Uzbekistan national team and Manchester City, has been named Asia’s Best Young Footballer of 2025 by football outlet Goalpost, marking a major milestone in the meteoric rise of the 21-year-old. The past year has been a breakthrough period for Khusanov. In January, he made history as the first footballer from Uzbekistan to debut in the English Premier League, following his transfer to Manchester City. Since then, he has steadily earned playing time at one of Europe’s top clubs, making nine appearances for the Manchester side this season. Khusanov’s impact has extended beyond club football. In June, he played a pivotal role in securing Uzbekistan’s qualification for the FIFA World Cup, a landmark achievement for the national team. His performances at both domestic and international levels propelled him to the top of Goalpost’s rankings, ahead of emerging talents from Australia, Indonesia, South Korea, Iraq, and other Asian nations. His international recognition continues to grow. Khusanov was recently ranked 86th in The Athletic’s list of the world’s top 100 footballers, underscoring his expanding global profile. Interest from Europe’s elite clubs is also mounting. In December, reports emerged that Real Madrid is considering Khusanov for a mid-season loan, viewing him as a potential short-term solution to its defensive injury crisis. The Spanish club is said to value his physical presence and versatility, particularly his ability to play in several defensive positions.

World Cup

Uzbekistan Signs Fabio Cannavaro as Coach Ahead of World Cup

Fabio Cannavaro has signed a contract with the Uzbekistan Football Association to coach the national team, which qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup for the first time in the country’s 34 years of independence. “The Italian coach will prepare our team for the World Cup to be held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico,” the association said after the contract was signed on Monday at Uzbekistan’s National Football Center. It said Cannavaro had the experience and skills to deliver success for Uzbekistan, describing him as “a three-time World Cup participant, 2006 World Cup winner, one of the best defenders of the recent past, and a renowned expert.” “We have seen that a defensive playing style brings results,” Ravshan Irmatov, the association’s first vice president, said at a news conference. “We believe that with his international experience, professional culture, and tactical strictness, he will bring new spirit and a new system to our national team.” At the news conference, Cannavaro said he was thankful for the trust shown in him and outlined some plans to help Uzbekistan’s national team get comfortable with the pace and demands of the World Cup level. “The intensity of the Super League needs to be increased; we will discuss this with the management. The more we move at a high tempo during the game, the better the results will start to be. Players' recovery is also very important. We would also ask the coaches at clubs to send daily, weekly, or monthly performance data of the players so that we can know whether their results are improving or not,” Cannavaro said. “I had offers from 7-8 places. First of all, the fact that the team qualified for the World Cup and the seriousness of the project here encouraged me to accept the offer. Is it difficult to play at the World Cup? Yes, very difficult, but we will try,” he said. Cannavaro replaces Timur Kapadze, an Uzbekistani former pro football player who led the national team to its first-ever qualification for the World Cup with a 0-0 draw against the United Arab Emirates in Abu Dhabi in June. Cannavaro said he had discussed the team with his predecessor, noting that having “local specialists” on the staff will help him learn about the players’ mentality and the culture of Uzbekistan. To that end, Kapadze will remain for now as an assistant coach. The Uzbekistan Football Association said the coaching staff that will help Cannavaro includes assistant coach Eugenio Albarella, who has worked with Japan’s national team as well as Juventus, Udinese, and Dinamo Zagreb; fitness coach Francesco Troise, who has collaborated with Benevento, Udinese, and Dinamo Zagreb; and goalkeepers coach Antonio Kimienti, who has experience with Italy’s national youth team, and the Sampdoria and SPAL clubs.

Sports

Real Madrid to Play Kairat in Almaty in UEFA Champions League

Almaty’s Kairat will face European giants, including 15-time champions Real Madrid, in the UEFA Champions League group stage, marking a historic milestone for the Kazakh club. Kairat has never before reached this phase of the competition. Earlier this summer, the club became only the second team from Kazakhstan, after Astana, to qualify for the group stage by overcoming four rounds of qualifiers. Prior to the August 28 draw, head coach Rafael Urazbakhtin expressed a wish to be grouped with Real Madrid, Barcelona, or Liverpool. The draw delivered on one of those wishes: Kairat will now face Real Madrid, the most decorated club in European football history. Also in their group are Inter Milan, three-time Champions League winners, and Arsenal, a top English club with 13 domestic league titles but still seeking their first Champions League crown. Kairat's group stage schedule includes away matches against Sporting Lisbon and Copenhagen, while they will host Belgium’s Club Brugge, Greece’s Olympiacos, and Cyprus’s Pafos in Almaty. The group stage will be played between late September 2025 and the end of January 2026. “We are delighted to be playing Real Madrid. It's not often that such a club comes to Kazakhstan,” said Urazbakhtin. He acknowledged the disparity in skill levels but emphasized the importance of home support and maximizing their advantage in Almaty. A total of 36 clubs are competing in this season’s group stage. Each team plays eight matches, four home and four away, against different opponents. The top eight teams overall will advance directly to the playoffs, while clubs ranked 9th to 24th will enter a playoff round in February 2026 to fight for the remaining spots in the round of 16. As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, Kairat earned their Champions League berth after a dramatic penalty shootout win over Celtic, with reserve goalkeeper Temirlan Anarbekov playing a decisive role in the victory.

Sports

Opinion: What Uzbekistan’s FIFA World Cup Breakthrough Tells Us About State-Building

When Uzbekistan's goalkeeper Utkir Yusupov made those crucial saves against the UAE last night, securing his country's first-ever FIFA World Cup qualification, he was putting the finishing touches to a decade-long story about how nations build capacity, and what happens when they finally get it right. Uzbekistan's journey to the 2026 World Cup is not just a sports story. Go deeper, and you'll find something more interesting: a case study in institutional development. The Numbers Don't Lie Consider what Uzbekistan has pulled off in recent years. At Rio 2016, the country won 13 Olympic medals, placing 21st globally. In Tokyo, they obtained three gold medals despite disruptions caused by the pandemic. Uzbekistan achieved its best-ever performance at the Paris Olympics, securing 13 medals (8 gold, 2 silver, and 3 bronze), placing them 13th overall in the medal standings, first among post-Soviet states, and fourth among Asian nations overall. But the real story is the systematic nature of their success. Seven of those 13 Rio medals came in boxing alone, with three golds. At the 2023 World Boxing Championships in Tashkent, Uzbek fighters received five gold medals, the tournament's best overall performance. Boxers also dominated the Paris Olympics, bringing five gold medals to the national team’s account. Uzbekistan’s youth football teams have been even more dominant: AFC U-23 champions in 2018, U-20 Asian Cup winners in 2023, and U-17 continental champions twice since 2012. This is not random. Big tournaments reward institutional capacity, not just individual talent. Success on this scale requires functional sports federations, coherent youth development systems, and the kind of long-term planning that only works when bureaucracies can actually implement policies rather than just announce them. Small Economy, Outsized Results What makes Uzbekistan's breakthrough particularly striking is the economic context. Uzbekistan is not Germany or Japan leveraging massive GDP advantages. Uzbekistan's sports budget doubled to roughly $230 million by 2025, serious money for the country, but pocket change compared to what traditional powers spend. Yet they're outperforming nations with far deeper pockets. Their junior teams dominate youth football rankings. Their boxers routinely defeat athletes from wealthier countries. That efficiency ratio, results per dollar invested, suggests something important is happening at the governance level. The government has built over a hundred new sports facilities while doubling coaches' salaries. President Mirziyoyev's Presidential Olympics program scouts talent across all regions, attracting the best prospects to national training centers. Athletes now receive meaningful incentives: houses, cars, and scholarships. This is a systematic investment with clear metrics and accountability. The Quiet Politics of Athletic Success Sports remain one of the few arenas where state effectiveness can reveal itself without the outsized intrusion of politics. You can't fake your way to consistent Olympic medals or sustained success in FIFA youth competitions. These achievements require multiple sectors - education, healthcare, and urban planning - to function in coordination. Uzbekistan's sporting surge coincides with broader signs of improved state capacity under Mirziyoyev's administration. The infrastructure investments are real. The youth development programs are producing measurable results....

soccer

Uzbekistan Qualify for the FIFA World Cup

On June 5, history was made in Uzbekistan as the national football team qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. A nervy 0-0 draw against the United Arab Emirates in Abu Dhabi was enough to secure them a place at next year’s tournament in North America. It marks the first time that the 34-year-old nation will appear in the final stages of the competition. They become only the third nation from the former USSR, after Russia and Ukraine, and the first from Central Asia, to do so. A Night of Nerves The final hurdle was not an easy one. The Uzbeks faced an intimidating atmosphere even before kick-off, with long airport screening processes meaning over 100 fans were detained for between 7-9 hours at Sharjah airport. Then there was the weather, even at 8pm, the Al Nahyan Stadium in Abu Dhabi sweltered in 31-degree heat. Nevertheless, the team was helped by an Uzbek away support that did not cease all match. The away section was full well before kick-off, and the chants of “Oz-Bek-Is-Ton!”, accompanied by the pounding of drums, could be heard around the stadium. The Uzbeks, with just one loss in their nine-match qualifying campaign, have built their play around a solid defense. In six out of their nine qualifying matches, they did not concede a goal. The team’s star player, Manchester City’s Abdukodir Khusanov, has been the lynchpin of that formidable rearguard, but this is not a side of individuals. The whole team worked tenaciously for each other, and even when their protection was breached, the impressive Uktir Yusupov was on hand to make a few smart saves. Towards the end, the Uzbek fans and coaching staff were screaming at the referee to blow the final whistle after he added ten minutes of additional time. But when time was finally up, well-earned and long-awaited joy was plain to see on every face. Several players broke out sobbing. Celebrations The elation was shared not only by the players. The Uzbek media present in the stadium were seen jumping around the press box in delirium. Back home in Uzbekistan, where half the country had stayed up to watch the match, there was similar joy. “The feeling is indescribable. We’ve been waiting for this day for thirty-four years!” said Diyor Mirpolatov, a 19-year-old student from Tashkent told The Times of Central Asia. Xojiakbar Xamdamov, a graphic designer from Andijan, also could not hide his relief at finally making the tournament. “The failure had even become part of Uzbek pop culture,” he said. “It gets mentioned by standup comedians, in movies, on talk shows… now I think everything will change.” Mirpolotov says that he plans to go to the United States for the tournament: “I’m also going to apply as a volunteer for the World Cup, so I can get more access to matches.” His dream is to see his country play against Portugal. “It would be amazing for Cristiano Ronaldo to play against Uzbekistan,” he said. Xamadov is more circumspect. “Uzbekistan is one of those countries from...

Sports

Tajikistan to Chronicle Soccer Legacy with New Museum and Landmark Book

A museum dedicated to the history of Tajik soccer will be inaugurated in a new stadium currently under construction in Dushanbe. The project was initiated by Rustami Emomali, Mayor of Dushanbe and President of the Tajikistan Football Federation. A People's Archive of Soccer Heritage The Tajikistan Football Federation has called on fans, athletes, and sports veterans to contribute memorabilia related to the country's soccer history. Sought-after items include match jerseys, medals, trophies, certificates, books, and any other artifacts that reflect the evolution of soccer in Tajikistan. “The owners of valuable items and objects, as well as the authors of significant materials, will be recognized and encouraged,” the federation said in a public appeal. In parallel with the museum, the federation is preparing to publish The History of Tajik Soccer, the first comprehensive volume covering all major milestones in the sport’s national development. From the First Matches to the Soviet Leagues Soccer began to gain popularity in Tajikistan in the early 1920s. In 1936, the Tajikistan Football Federation was formally established, and a year later, the first championship of the Tajik SSR took place. Dinamo, a club from Stalinobod (now Dushanbe), emerged as the inaugural champion. In 1947, Dinamo debuted in the USSR championship, marking the beginning of Tajikistan’s participation in Soviet leagues. A defining moment came in 1989 when Dushanbe's Pamir club competed in the Supreme League of the Soviet Union, a peak achievement during the Soviet soccer era that remains a point of pride for the country. A New Era After Independence With the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, Tajik soccer entered a new chapter. The Tajikistan Football Federation became a member of FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation in 1994, enabling the country to participate in global and regional competitions. Today, Tajikistan is investing in soccer infrastructure, focusing on youth training and international performance. The upcoming museum and book aim to celebrate the sport’s rich past while inspiring future generations of players and fans.