Red cards in Asian Cup final could cost Uzbek players their World Cup start

Two members of Uzbekistan’s U-17 national football team, Nurbek Sarsenbaev and Miraziz Abdukarimov, who received red cards during the AFC U-17 Asian Cup final in Saudi Arabia, may have to miss the first matches of the 2025 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar. This possibility was raised by Uzbek football expert Alisher Nikimbaev, who is associated with the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

According to Nikimbaev, FIFA’s disciplinary code stipulates that suspensions from red cards carry over to the next official international tournament. If the players do not participate in any other youth competitions before the World Cup, they could be forced to serve their suspension in the opening games of the tournament. The number of matches they will miss depends on the AFC Disciplinary Committee’s decision.

Despite the setbacks, Uzbekistan’s U-17 team secured both the Asian championship title and a spot in the World Cup, which is set to take place from November 3 to November 27 in Qatar.