Uzbekistan's 2026 World Cup Roster Announced
Uzbekistan's national football team has officially unveiled its squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, set to be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. This marks the nation's debut on the global stage of the tournament. The announcement was made by the Football Association of Uzbekistan, as reported by Glavcom.
Leading up to the competition, Uzbekistan played a friendly against Canada, losing 0-2. Their next test is a scheduled match against the Netherlands on June 8. Uzbekistan's first World Cup group-stage game is against Colombia on June 17, followed by encounters with Portugal on June 23 and DR Congo on June 27.
Full Squad List
The roster includes the following players:
- Goalkeepers:
- Utkir Yusupov (Navbahor)
- Botirali Ergashev (Neftchi)
- Abduvohid Nematov (Nasaf)
- Defenders:
- Avazbek Ulmasaliev (AGMK)
- Jahongir Urozov (Dynamo)
- Rustam Ashurmatov (Istiqlol, Iran)
- Umar Eshmurodov (Nasaf)
- Abdukodir Khusanov (Manchester City, England)
- Abdulla Abdullaev (Dibba, UAE)
- Farrukh Sayfiev (Neftchi)
- Khojiakbar Alizhonov (Pakhtakor)
- Sherzod Nasrullaev (Pakhtakor)
- Bekhruz Karimov (Surkhan)
- Midfielders:
- Sherzod Esanov (Bukhara)
- Odil Khamrobekov (Tractor, Iran)
- Akmal Mozgovoy (Pakhtakor)
- Otabek Shukurov (Baniyas, UAE)
- Jamshid Iskanderov (Neftchi)
- Aziz Ganiev (Al Bataeh, UAE)
- Forwards:
- Abbos Fayzullaev (Istanbul Basaksehir, Turkey)
- Jaloliddin Masharipov (Istiqlol, Iran)
- Doston Khamdamov (Pakhtakor)
- Oston Urunov (Persepolis, Iran)
- Aziz Amonov (Dynamo)
- Igor Sergeev (Persepolis, Iran)
- Eldor Shomurodov (Istanbul Basaksehir, Turkey)
Fabio Cannavaro serves as Uzbekistan's head coach. Meanwhile, Portugal manager Roberto Martinez has also announced his World Cup squad, which includes 41-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo. This will be Ronaldo's sixth World Cup appearance in his career.
Uzbekistan's debut on the world football stage is a major milestone for the country, potentially boosting the sport's popularity across the region. Competing in the World Cup offers Uzbek players a chance to showcase their skills and gain valuable international experience. At the same time, the participation of stars like Cristiano Ronaldo adds even more intrigue to the tournament, highlighting the high level of competition on the global stage. — Glavcom
As Uzbekistan prepares for its historic World Cup debut, other teams are also finalizing their rosters. For instance, Turkey has announced its squad, featuring promising talents like Arda Güler, adding to the excitement of the upcoming tournament.