2026 is a historical year for the Uzbekistan football team and their supporters. Decades of effort and tough work has finally paid off, as the national football team is debuting at the biggest international football competition: the FIFA 2026 World Cup. This article is your complete guide to the coach, the players, and the fixture schedule so you are ready to support them this summer!
Uzbekistan football team’s legendary coach
Uzbekistan 2026 World Cup squad
Tactics that Uzbekistan football team follows
White Wolves’ matches schedule
Fan culture
Uzbekistan football team’s legendary coach
Fabio Cannavaro, currently the Uzbekistani coach, was the captain of the Italian team when they won the World Cup in 2006. Fabio has experience, knowledge and passion that White Wolves* need, so he has been in the lead since October, 2025.
*White Wolves is the official team’s nickname referring to the symbol of national pride (the wolf) and traditional kit colors (white).
Cannavaro surrounded himself with the Italian coaching staff: Eugenio Albarella, Francesco Troise, and Antonio Chimenti are also helping the team to level up their gaming skills. Cannavaro teaches the White Wolves to be brave. He tells them they have ‘nothing to lose’ against giant teams like Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal. This "nothing to lose" position is pretty powerful, because it makes the team free – they can give their all without looking back on the previous wins, losses and community pressure.
Another name worth mentioning is Timur Kapadze, who was the national football team coach before Fabio and did a fantastic job guiding the team through World Cup qualifying stages.
Uzbekistan 2026 World Cup squad
The final 26-man roster is not announced yet. Managers have picked 40 players that are training in the camp and preparing to represent the country, including 4 goalkeepers, 13 defenders, 18 midfielders, and 5 forwards.
| Player | Position |
|---|---|
| Utkir Yusupov | Goalkeeper |
| Abduvohid Nematov | Goalkeeper |
| Botirali Ergashev | Goalkeeper |
| Vladimir Nazarov | Goalkeeper |
| Abdukodir Khusanov | Defender |
| Khojiakbar Alijonov | Defender |
| Farrukh Sayfiev | Defender |
| Rustam Ashurmatov | Defender |
| Sherzod Nasrullaev | Defender |
| Umarbek Eshmurodov | Defender |
| Bekhruz Karimov | Defender |
| Mukhammadrasul Abdumazhidov | Defender |
| Jakhongir Urozov | Defender |
| Mukhammadkodir Khamraliev | Defender |
| Avazbek Ulmasaliyev | Defender |
| Ibrokhimkhalil Yuldoshev | Defender |
| Diyor Ortiqboyev | Defender |
| Akmal Mozgovoy | Midfielder |
| Otabek Shukurov | Midfielder |
| Jamshid Iskanderov | Midfielder |
| Odiljon Hamrobekov | Midfielder |
| Azizjon Ganiev | Midfielder |
| Oston Urunov | Midfielder |
| Dostonbek Khamdamov | Midfielder |
| Alisher Odilo | Midfielder |
| Umarali Rakhmonaliev | Midfielder |
| Jaloliddin Masharipov | Midfielder |
| Quvondiq Ro'ziyev | Midfielder |
| Jasurbek Jaloliddinov | Midfielder |
| Nodirbek Abdurazzokov | Midfielder |
| Abbosbek Fayzullaev | Midfielder |
| Abdulla Abdullaev | Midfielder |
| Ruslanbek Jiyanov | Midfielder |
| Sherzod Esanov | Midfielder |
| Sardorbek Bakhromov | Midfielder |
| Eldor Shomurodov | Forward |
| Igor Sergeev | Forward |
| Sherzod Temirov | Forward |
| Azizbek Amonov | Forward |
| Khusain Norchaev | Forward |
We have to wait until the final announcement to know who will be the managers’ picks. Until then, there are only rumors circling around.
Attention-grabbing players
The team has experienced and reliable Eldor Shomurodov and a lot of exciting rising talents, like Abdukodir Khusanov and Abbosbek Fayzullaev.
- Eldor Shomurodov, the captain. Shomurodov is the team's best scorer, as he scored five goals and made five assists during World Cup qualifying.
‘We’ll certainly do our best. We are representing our nation and that is why we are going to work hard and show the world that Uzbekistan is one of the strongest teams around. However, we can’t make any massive promises.’ – Eldor Shomurodov, 2026.
- Abdukodir Khusanov, a young defender. Khusanov is a huge rising talent, as he’s only 22 years old and already a top European league player. After Khusanov moved to Manchester City in England, his price skyrocketed from 134,000 to 47 million USD! That’s the real promotion right here.
‘He's calm, powerful, he's fast. He doesn't talk but he's good. […] He has very, very impressive potential.’ – Will Still, 2025
- Abbosbek Fayzullaev, a fast winger. One more 22-year-old in the team. Fayzullaev scored important goals in the third round qualifying matches against Iran and Qatar. So we can expect more breathtaking moments created by him.
‘My relatives always support me and believe in me. But many in Uzbekistan said: “He will not be able to do it and will return soon.” Even some coaches expressed the same opinion. […] I think I've proven myself to those who don't believe in me with my game’ – Abbosbek Fayzullaev 2025.*
Tactics that Uzbekistan football team follows
The team usually follows a 3-4-2-1 formation, playing it safe and avoiding chaos.
Coach Cannavaro's strategy is clear so far: he wants a very strong defense which frustrates the other team. Cannavaro makes sure the team stays calm and collected under pressure.
White Wolves’ main weakness is that they sometimes struggle to pass well and create chances to score near the opponent's goal. Putting this aside, the team is ready to show us what it means to ‘never give up’.
More about the World Cup 2026:
White Wolves’ matches schedule
Uzbekistan football team will play on June 17th, 23th and 27th. Here is their detailed fixture schedule for Group K:
| Date | Opponent | City |
|---|---|---|
| June 17th | Colombia | Mexico City, Mexico (10:00 p.m. ET / 3 a.m. BST / 4 a.m. CEST) |
| June 23th | Portugal | Houston, USA (1:00 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. BST / 7 p.m. CEST) |
| June 27th | DR Congo | Atlanta, USA (7:30 p.m. ET / 12:30 a.m. BST / 1:30 a.m. CEST) |
You can follow all updates on schedules, game results and team news on the official FIFA platform.
Uzbekistan had a long journey before they entered the World Cup main stages. The national football team failed to qualify seven times, with sad moments in 2005 against Bahrain and a penalty loss to Jordan in 2014. Finally in 2025, after a 0-0 draw against the UAE in the qualifying group stage, White Wolves survived the tough AFC qualification pathway for the first time in the country's history.
Now, the team is having a three-week training camp in Tashkent in May with 40 players. They will also play a friendly match against Canada on June 1st in Toronto.
Fan culture
The fans of the White Wolves are incredibly passionate and united. Supporters are ready to cheer like never before, since Uzbekistan is the very first country from Central Asia to reach the World Cup – it’s a big event for the whole region. Expets stadiums to turn green and white. If you’re going to a stadium, pub or gather with friends at home, here’s your fan kit:
- national flags to wave
- green scarves to wear
- something to paint your face with green and white
Uzbekistan’s debut in the World Cup is an exciting event and a reason for Uzbeks all around the globe to unite and enjoy their moment. Let’s cheer!
This article is for informational purposes only. Profee is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, or otherwise connected to FIFA, the FIFA World Cup, any national football association, team, player, broadcaster, ticketing provider, or event organiser. All trademarks, names, logos, images, and other intellectual property belong to their respective owners. Information is accurate as of June 1st, 2026 and may change; check official sources for the latest details.
Who is the famous football player in Uzbekistan?
Currently, Abdukodir Khusanov is the most famous player from Uzbekistan. New York Times’ The Athletic even called him ‘Uzbekistan’s version of Cristiano Ronaldo’ due to his strong playing abilities.
Which is the best football team in Uzbekistan?
Pakhtakor Tashkent takes the first place among the Uzbekistan football clubs, according to the Footballdatabase scoring system.
Is the Uzbekistan football team good?
Yes, the Uzbekistan team is currently placed 50th among the 211 countries in the FIFA ranking (as of May, 21st, 2026, the rankings will update on June 21st).
Did Joachim Low reject the Uzbekistan coach offer?
Yes, he did reject the offer.
Why couldn't Uzbekistan go in Group I?
Group I already had a team from Asia (Iraq), and FIFA rules do not allow two Asian teams to be in the same group. Because of this rule, Uzbekistan had to be put into a completely different group.
