Mirziyoyev to award players after historic World Cup qualification (video)

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev personally called members of the Uzbekistan national football team following their match in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, and sincerely congratulated them on their historic achievement—the country’s first-ever qualification for the FIFA World Cup. The presidential press service reported the news.

In his congratulatory message, the head of state stated that this victory is a shared triumph for the entire Uzbek nation. During the phone call, the president announced that he would soon sign a new decree. According to the decree, the players of the national team, led by head coach Temur Kapadze, will be awarded the honorary title “Pride of Uzbekistan.”

During the conversation, First Vice President of the Uzbekistan Football Association Ravshan Irmatov also conveyed the congratulations of FIFA President Gianni Infantino to the president and the people of Uzbekistan.

For reference, on June 5, the United Arab Emirates national team hosted Uzbekistan at Al-Nahyan Stadium as part of the Asian qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The match ended in a 0–0 draw.

With this result, the Uzbekistan national team, led by Kapadze, officially qualified for the 2026 World Cup.

The match was officiated by an elite Australian referee team, with FIFA referee Shaun Evans serving as the main official on the field.

This achievement marks the end of a 34-year wait and is considered one of the greatest milestones in the history of Uzbek football.

Earlier, President Mirziyoyev had extended his congratulations to the team following their qualification.