Uzbekistan national football team facts for kids
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| Nickname(s) | White Wolves Turanians |
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| Association | Uzbekistan Football Association (UFA) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Confederation | AFC (Asia) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Sub-confederation | CAFA (Central Asia) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Head coach | Timur Kapadze | |||||||||||||||||||
| Captain | Eldor Shomurodov | |||||||||||||||||||
| Most caps | Server Djeparov (128) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Top scorer | Eldor Shomurodov (42) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Home stadium | Milliy Stadium Pakhtakor Stadium |
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| FIFA code | UZB | |||||||||||||||||||
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| FIFA ranking | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Current | 89  6 (7 February 2019) |
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| Highest | 45 (November 2006 – January 2007) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Lowest | 118 (November 1996) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Elo ranking | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Current | 56 3 (3 March 2019) |
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| Highest | 43 (November 2016) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Lowest | 95 (February 2001) | |||||||||||||||||||
| First international | ||||||||||||||||||||
 Tajikistan 2–2 Uzbekistan  (Dushanbe, Tajikistan; 17 June 1992) |
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| Biggest win | ||||||||||||||||||||
Uzbekistan 15–0 Mongolia  (Chiang Mai, Thailand; 5 December 1998) |
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| Biggest defeat | ||||||||||||||||||||
 Japan 8–1 Uzbekistan (Sidon, Lebanon; 17 October 2000) |
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| World Cup | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Appearances | 1 (first in 2026) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Best result | TBD (2026) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Asian Cup | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Appearances | 9 (first in 1996) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Best result | Fourth place (2011) | |||||||||||||||||||
| CAFA Nations Cup | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Appearances | 1 (first in 2023) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Best result | Runners-up (2023) | |||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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The Uzbekistan national football team represents Uzbekistan in men's international football. The Uzbekistan Football Association controls the team. They are known as the White Wolves.
Uzbekistan has achieved the best results among teams from Central Asia. In 2011, they reached the semi-finals of the Asian Cup for the first time. They also won a gold medal at the Asian Games in 1994. In 1995, they were runners-up at the Afro-Asian Cup of Nations. The team qualified for the FIFA World Cup for the first time in 2026.
Contents
Team History
Football's Beginnings in Uzbekistan
Football started in Uzbekistan around 1912. That year, the first football teams were formed in Kokand. The first championship in the Ferghana Valley happened in 1914. The Uzbekistan SSR Championship began in 1926.
From 1924 to 1991, Uzbekistan was part of the Soviet Union. In 1928, the Uzbekistan national football team was created. They played in the Spartakiade, a sports event that included teams from some European countries. In this tournament, Uzbekistan played its first international match against Switzerland and won 8–4.
Uzbekistan was one of the main places for football in the Soviet Union. After the Soviet Union broke up, Uzbekistan became an independent country. A new national team was formed. Their first match was in 1992 against Tajikistan.
Most former Soviet countries joined UEFA, which is the European football group. But Uzbekistan chose to stay with the AFC, the Asian football group. In 1994, the Uzbekistan Football Federation officially joined the AFC and FIFA.
Success in the 1990s
In the 1994 Asian Games, Uzbekistan played very well. They won all their group matches against strong teams like Saudi Arabia and Thailand. In the quarter-finals, they beat Turkmenistan 3–0. Then, they surprised everyone by beating South Korea 1–0 in the semi-finals.
Uzbekistan reached the final, which was their first major final since becoming independent. They defeated China 4–2 to win their first Asian title.
In the 1996 AFC Asian Cup, Uzbekistan was eliminated in the group stage. Their first try to qualify for the 1998 World Cup was not successful. They won most of their early matches but could not make it to the main tournament.
Challenges in the 2000s
At the 2000 AFC Asian Cup, Uzbekistan only managed one draw and was eliminated early. They tried to qualify for the 2002 World Cup but did not succeed. They reached the second round of qualifiers but lost key matches.
In the 2004 Asian Cup, Uzbekistan reached the quarter-finals. They won all their group matches. However, they lost to Bahrain in a penalty shootout. For the 2006 World Cup qualifiers, Uzbekistan was knocked out by Bahrain due to the away goals rule. This result was controversial because one of their games had to be replayed due to a referee's mistake.
In the 2007 Asian Cup, Uzbekistan again made it out of the group stage. They beat Malaysia 5–0 and China PR 3–0. But they lost to Saudi Arabia 2–1 in the quarter-finals.
The 2010s: Close Calls
Uzbekistan tried to qualify for the 2010 World Cup. They won their first four matches in the early stages. But in the final round, they finished last in their group and did not qualify.
The 2011 Asian Cup was their best performance in the tournament. Uzbekistan finished in fourth place. They reached the semi-finals but lost badly to Australia 6–0. They then lost the third-place match to South Korea 3–2.
For the 2014 World Cup qualifiers, Uzbekistan had a strong run. They won their group in the third round, even beating Japan away. In the fourth round, they finished third, just missing out on direct qualification. They played Jordan in a play-off. After two draws, Jordan won on penalties, and Uzbekistan missed out again.
In the 2015 Asian Cup, Uzbekistan reached the quarter-finals. They were runners-up in their group. They lost to South Korea 2–0 in extra time and were knocked out.
Uzbekistan continued their efforts for the 2018 World Cup qualification. They topped their group and qualified for the final round. However, they finished fourth in the final group, missing the World Cup once more.
The 2019 Asian Cup saw Uzbekistan win their first two group games. This meant they moved past the group stage for the fifth time in a row. They drew 0–0 with Australia in the Round of 16 but lost in a penalty shootout.
The 2020s: World Cup Qualification!
In the qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup, Uzbekistan faced another setback. They did not reach the final round. This was partly because North Korea withdrew from the competition due to the COVID-19 pandemic. FIFA then cancelled North Korea's results, which affected Uzbekistan's standing.
Uzbekistan successfully qualified for the 2023 Asian Cup. They hosted their qualifying group and won all three games without letting in any goals. In the main tournament, they drew their first game against Syria 0–0. They then beat India 3–0. A 1–1 draw with Australia secured their spot in the Round of 16. They beat Thailand 2–1. In the quarter-finals, they lost to hosts Qatar in a penalty shootout after a 1–1 draw.
The team had a great run in the second qualifying round for the 2026 World Cup. They were unbeaten, winning four matches and drawing two. This helped them reach the third qualifying round. In the third round, Uzbekistan made history! They qualified for the World Cup for the very first time. They secured their spot with a 0–0 draw against the United Arab Emirates.
Team Identity
Team Nicknames
The Uzbekistan national team has a few nicknames. The most common one is "The White Wolves" (Oq boʻrilar). They are also sometimes called "Asian Italy" because their team colors (white and blue) are similar to Italy's. Both teams also sometimes use similar defensive tactics.
Another nickname is the "Huma birds" (Humo qushlari). The mythical Huma bird is a national symbol of Uzbekistan. It is shown on the country's national emblem. The team is also called the "Turanians" (Turonliklar). This is because Uzbekistan is in the middle of an ancient region called Turan.
Main Rivals
Uzbekistan's main football rivals are China and South Korea. Iran has also become a strong rival. This happened after Iran joined the Central Asian Football Federation in 2015. These teams have played many important matches, especially in World Cup qualifiers.
Kit Sponsors
The team's jerseys usually have the logo of the Uzbekistan Football Association. Over the years, they have had different kit sponsors. These include Adidas, Admiral, Grand Sport, Hummel, Umbro, Puma, Joma, and Jako.
Home Stadiums
From 1992 until 2012, the main home stadium for the Uzbekistan national team was the Pakhtakor Central Stadium in Tashkent. This stadium was built in 1956. It is also the home ground for Pakhtakor Football Club. The stadium has been rebuilt several times and can hold 35,000 fans.
The team also uses Milliy Stadium (formerly called Bunyodkor Stadium). This stadium was built in 2012 and can hold 34,000 spectators. It is also home to the Bunyodkor Football Club.
Recent Matches
The team has played several matches recently. Here are some of their results from 2024 and 2025:
2024 Matches
- September 5, 2024: Uzbekistan won 1–0 against North Korea in a World Cup qualifier.
- September 10, 2024: Uzbekistan won 3–2 against Kyrgyzstan in a World Cup qualifier.
- October 10, 2024: Uzbekistan drew 0–0 with Iran in a World Cup qualifier.
- October 15, 2024: Uzbekistan won 1–0 against UAE in a World Cup qualifier.
- November 14, 2024: Uzbekistan lost 3–2 to Qatar in a World Cup qualifier.
- November 19, 2024: Uzbekistan won 1–0 against North Korea in a World Cup qualifier.
2025 Matches
- January 27, 2025: Uzbekistan drew 0–0 with Jordan in a friendly match.
- March 20, 2025: Uzbekistan won 1–0 against Kyrgyzstan in a World Cup qualifier.
- March 25, 2025: Uzbekistan drew 2–2 with Iran in a World Cup qualifier.
- June 5, 2025: Uzbekistan drew 0–0 with UAE in a World Cup qualifier.
- June 10, 2025: Uzbekistan won 3–0 against Qatar in a World Cup qualifier.
Coaching Staff
The current head coach of the Uzbekistan national football team is Timur Kapadze. He is from Uzbekistan. The team also has assistant coaches, a goalkeeper coach, a fitness coach, and a physiotherapist.
Key Players
Most Games Played
Here are the players who have played the most matches for Uzbekistan:
- Server Djeparov: 128 games
- Timur Kapadze: 119 games
- Odil Ahmedov: 108 games
- Ignatiy Nesterov: 105 games
- Anzur Ismailov: 102 games
- Alexander Geynrikh: 97 games
- Aziz Haydarov: 85 games
- Eldor Shomurodov: 82 games (still playing)
- Otabek Shukurov: 77 games (still playing)
- Igor Sergeev: 74 games (still playing)
- Islom Tukhtakhujaev: 74 games (still playing)
Top Goal Scorers
These players have scored the most goals for Uzbekistan:
- Eldor Shomurodov: 42 goals (still playing)
- Maxim Shatskikh: 34 goals
- Mirjalol Qosimov: 31 goals
- Alexander Geynrikh: 31 goals
- Server Djeparov: 25 goals
- Odil Ahmedov: 21 goals
- Igor Shkvyrin: 20 goals
- Igor Sergeev: 20 goals (still playing)
- Jafar Irismetov: 15 goals
- Ulugbek Bakayev: 14 goals
Team Achievements
International Awards
- Afro-Asian Cup of Nations
- Runners-up: 1995
Asian Awards
- Asian Games
- Gold Medal: 1994
Regional Awards
- CAFA Nations Cup
- Runners-up: 2023
Friendly Tournament Wins
- Nowruz Cup: 2022
- Merdeka Tournament: 2001
Fair Play Awards
- CAFA Nations Cup Fair Play Award: 2023
Images for kids
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The flag of Uzbekistan, also featured on the team's badge.
See also
In Spanish: Selección de fútbol de Uzbekistán para niños
