Uzbekistan at the 2026 FIFA World Cup

Uzbekistan have been competing in AFC World Cup qualifying since 1994 and had never made it through to a final tournament. The 2026 campaign changed that. Under a Uzbek coaching setup before Cannavaro's appointment, the White Wolves qualified from their AFC third-round group — which included Iran — by finishing in the automatic qualification places.

The campaign was defined by competitive resilience rather than dominant performances. Uzbekistan drew 0-0 with Iran in October 2024 and 2-2 in March 2025 — results that reflected both the quality of their opponents and their ability to hold shape under pressure. Their squad depth, built around a core of players competing across the Middle East, Iran, Turkey and Europe, gave them the tactical flexibility to manage different types of games across the multi-year campaign.

The appointment of Fabio Cannavaro in October 2025 was designed to prepare the squad for the final tournament rather than for the qualification phase. Cannavaro — who had previously managed Al-Ahli in Saudi Arabia and Benevento in Serie B — brought immediate credibility and a clear defensive structure to a team that already knew how to qualify. The question his appointment raised was whether he could organise them to compete at the World Cup itself.

The three goalkeepers reflect Uzbekistan's spread across regional football. Botirali Ergashev plays for AGMK, one of Uzbekistan's domestic clubs. Abduvohid Nematov is at Nasaf Qarshi, the country's other major domestic force. Utkir Yusupov is at Foolad Khuzestan in the Iranian league — part of the significant cohort of Uzbek players competing in Iran.

The ten defenders range from Manchester City to Pakhtakor Tashkent. Abdukodir Khusanov is the headline name. Rustam Ashurmatov plays at Esteghlal in Iran, one of the continent's most storied clubs. Khojiakbar Alijonov, Bekhruz Karimov, Avazbek Ulmasaliev and Jakhongir Urozov are Pakhtakor-based, the domestic core of the unit. Abdulla Abdullaev plays for Dibba Al Fujairah in the UAE. Sherzod Nasrullaev and Umar Eshmurodov are at Nasaf Qarshi. Farrukh Sayfiev at Navbahor Namangan completes a back line that is experienced across multiple leagues but has rarely operated together for extended periods — a challenge Cannavaro must address.

The ten midfielders are the squad's most diverse section by geography. Abbosbek Fayzullaev and the returning Oston Urunov (Persepolis) provide the creative and box-to-box options. Jaloliddin Masharipov at Esteghlal Tehran is the experienced deep presence. Odiljon Hamrobekov at Tractor SC and Akmal Mozgovoy and Otabek Shukurov at Baniyas SC in the UAE add Gulf and Iranian football quality. Azizjon Ganiev at Al Bataeh, Sherzod Esanov at Pakhtakor, Jamshid Iskanderov at Neftchi Fargona and Dostonbek Khamdamov at Nasaf round out a group with ten different clubs across six countries.

The three forwards — Azizbek Amonov at Pakhtakor, Igor Sergeev at Persepolis and Eldor Shomurodov at Başakşehir — are the most defined unit in the squad. Shomurodov is the recognised number nine. Sergeev provides pace and directness from wide or central positions. Amonov, the domestic option, gives Cannavaro a physical presence off the bench. Three forwards for a World Cup group that includes Portugal's Ronaldo, Colombia's Luís Díaz and DR Congo's Yoane Wissa is lean — but Cannavaro's system is designed to make the most of limited attacking options.