Uzbekistan among predicted favorites for 2026 World Cup

The chances of the national teams qualified for the 2026 World Cup have been analyzed. According to the publication Goal, Uzbekistan, which will make its first-ever appearance at the tournament, is ranked 25th among the favorites.

The analysis reviewed the three host nations, the teams already qualified, and the top 16 national teams in the FIFA rankings.

“Uzbekistan will finally feature in the World Cup finals for the first time next summer. Their path to qualification has not been easy. In January, head coach Srečko Katanec was forced to step down due to illness, but former national team midfielder Temur Kapadze successfully completed the campaign. With a hard-fought 0-0 draw against the UAE on June 5, Uzbekistan secured one of the top two spots in Group A.

This result further boosted the team’s confidence, having recorded seven clean sheets in their last 10 matches. On Monday, they also defeated Iran 1-0 in the final to win the 2025 CAFA Nations Cup. While Uzbekistan’s chances remain slim, their hopes of advancing to the knockout stage depend on a solid defense. Manchester City center-back Abdukodir Khusanov will play a key role, while captain Eldor Shomurodov, currently with Istanbul Başakşehir, leads the attack. Another emerging figure is 21-year-old midfielder Abbosbek Fayzullaev, who is expected to drive the team forward,” the article notes.

According to the ranking, Spain is considered the main favorite for the 2026 World Cup, followed by Argentina and England in the top three. Portugal, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Brazil, Morocco, and Ecuador make up the rest of the top 10.

Among Asian teams, South Korea and Japan are rated highly, ranking 11th and 12th respectively. Iran, which lost to Uzbekistan in the CAFA final, is placed 22nd, while Jordan ranks just behind Uzbekistan at 26th.

Uruguay (13), Croatia (14), Belgium (15), Colombia (16), Italy (17), Mexico (18), Paraguay (19), Canada (20), Australia (21), USA (23), Tunisia (24), and New Zealand (27) are also included in the ranking.

For reference, the 2026 FIFA World Cup will take place from June 11 to July 19 in the USA, Canada, and Mexico.

Diyor Toshpulatov