Asian Football

Uzbekistan at the World Cup: Central Asia’s Historic Arrival

June 22, 2026 by María Castellano

Uzbekistan become the first Central Asian nation at a World Cup. How did they get here, and what does their debut mean for Asian football?

The story so far. The 2026 FIFA World Cup runs 11 June to 19 July across the USA,…

By James Whitmore

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