Uzbekistan's road to the World Cup: A history of near misses

The Uzbekistan national team has taken part in World Cup qualifiers eight times, including the current campaign. Here’s a look at the team's journey through past attempts to reach football’s biggest stage.  

1998 World Cup: First attempt

Uzbekistan made its debut in World Cup qualifiers in 1998. The team competed in Group B alongside Japan, South Korea, the UAE, and Kazakhstan. With just one win, three draws, and four losses in eight matches, Uzbekistan finished fourth with six points, failing to qualify for the tournament in France.  

2002 World Cup: A stronger performance, but no qualification
Uzbekistan advanced past the first round by defeating Turkmenistan, Jordan, and Chinese Taipei. In the second round, they played in Group B with China, the UAE, Qatar, and Oman. Despite securing 10 points with three wins, one draw, and four losses, Uzbekistan finished third, missing out on a place in South Korea and Japan.  

2006 World Cup: Playoff heartbreak

Starting from the second round, Uzbekistan topped its group with 16 points, advancing to the third round. There, the team faced Saudi Arabia, South Korea, and Kuwait, finishing third with five points. This allowed them to reach the playoffs, where they faced Bahrain. Despite a 1-1 draw at home and a goalless draw away, Bahrain progressed due to the away goals rule, denying Uzbekistan a spot in Germany.  

2010 World Cup: Group stage exit 

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Uzbekistan defeated Chinese Taipei 11-0 on aggregate in the first round before moving directly to the third round. After topping a group with Saudi Arabia, Singapore, and Lebanon, the team entered the fourth round alongside Australia, Japan, Bahrain, and Qatar. However, with just one win, one draw, and six losses in eight matches, Uzbekistan finished last in Group A and was eliminated.  

2014 World Cup: Playoff penalty disappointment

Uzbekistan started in the second round by beating Kyrgyzstan 7-0 on aggregate. After topping Group C in the third round over Japan, North Korea, and Tajikistan, they finished third in Group A of the fourth round behind Iran and South Korea. This led to a playoff against Jordan, which ended in a penalty shootout loss, dashing their hopes of qualifying for Brazil.  

2018 World Cup: One goal short

Uzbekistan began the campaign in the second round and topped Group H with 21 points. In the third round, they played in Group A with Iran, South Korea, Syria, Qatar, and China. A crucial 0-0 draw against South Korea in the final match saw Uzbekistan finish level on points with Syria (13), but Syria advanced due to a better goal difference.  

2022 World Cup: Worst qualifying performance
Uzbekistan suffered its worst World Cup qualifying campaign, failing to progress past the second round. The team finished five points behind Saudi Arabia in Group D, ending their hopes early.  

2026 World Cup: A serious step forward

Currently, Uzbekistan is in second place in Group A of the third qualifying round with 16 points. The team trails leaders Iran by three points, while maintaining the same gap over the UAE and Qatar. A victory against Iran in the eighth round would bring Uzbekistan closer than ever to securing a historic World Cup berth.  

For reference, the eighth-round matches took place on March 25.