Uzbekistan coach Timur Kapadze lauded the efforts of his players after the Central Asian country qualified for the World Cup for the first time.

The White Wolves claimed their spot at the expanded 48-team 2026 finals on Thursday with a 0-0 draw in the United Arab Emirates, which guaranteed Kapadze's side a top-two finish in Group A, alongside already-qualified Iran.

Uzbekistan have tried and failed to qualify seven times since their independence after the break-up of the Soviet Union in 1991, suffering heartbreak in the final stage of continental qualifiers for Germany 2006 and Brazil 2014.

A genuine force in Asia since their 1994 Asian Games triumph, the Uzbekistan FA has invested heavily in youth development in the attempt to take the final step onto the world stage.

Subscribe to CNA

See Full Page