The FIFA Series 2026™ men’s edition is in full swing, with entertaining matches across nine groups helping prove a roaring success from an organisational point of view.

Uzbekistan and the Uzbekistan Football Association (UFA) have come to the fore having successfully staged FIFA tournaments in recent years. The current FIFA Series™ is being used as a dress rehearsal ahead of the FIFA U-20 World Cup 2027™ which they will co-host with Azerbaijan, following a FIFA Council decision at its Meeting No. 33 on 2 October 2025.

“It reflects Uzbekistan’s growing reputation on the international stage. This tournament will serve as another important step in the development of football in our country and will give a strong impetus to youth football,” said Mukhammad Sodik Sadik-Akhunov, Head of International Relations and Competitions Department at the UFA.

“We’re steadily gaining experience in organising major tournaments. In particular, we have previously hosted a FIFA [Futsal] World Cup, and we believe that the experience gained from that competition will help us in organising the U-20 World Cup. Every major tournament, of course, comes with great responsibility.”

Hosting the FIFA Futsal World Cup Uzbekistan 2024™ was a significant achievement for Uzbekistan and Central Asia, as it was the first time the region had hosted a FIFA tournament. The competition took place from September to October 2024 and was held across three cities: Andijan, Bukhara and the capital, Tashkent. All three were brought up to standard for the tournament thanks to funding from the FIFA Forward Programme, and each stood up to the test.

“This tournament became a historic event in the sporting life of our country. Hosting a FIFA competition in Central Asia for the first time demonstrated Uzbekistan’s organisational capacity and potential,” added Sadik-Akhunov. “It also contributed to further strengthening cooperation with FIFA and created a solid foundation for implementing even larger projects in the future.

“Hosting the FIFA Series is a logical continuation of this process. Matches against teams from different continents will be exciting for our fans ahead of the World Cup, and at the same time, they will serve as valuable experience for our players.

“It’s a natural continuation of the effective cooperation established with FIFA in recent years. The decisions and decrees adopted by our President [Shavkat Mirziyoyev] to develop football, along with the ongoing work to improve infrastructure and enhance the activities of academies, are already yielding results. As a result, our country has become one with strong infrastructure, capable of hosting major international competitions at a high level.”

Uzbekistan and the UFA also showcased their capabilities between August and September 2025, when the country teamed up with neighbouring Tajikistan to host the CAFA Nations Cup.

The Central Asian Football Association (CAFA) tournament, with FIFA President Gianni Infantino in attendance for the final, saw Uzbekistan secure their first regional trophy, beating IR Iran 1-0 after extra-time at the state-of-the-art Olympic Stadium in the capital, Tashkent.

“Hosting such major tournaments is one of the key factors in the development of football in our country. In particular, significant experience has been gained in modernising infrastructure, adapting stadiums and training facilities to international standards, and improving logistics and service systems,” added Sadik-Akhunov.

Triumphs like the CAFA Nations Cup are fuelling the development of an Uzbekistan side set to make its FIFA World Cup™ debut this summer. By the end of 2025, Uzbekistan climbed back into the FIFA/Coca-Cola Men’s World Ranking top 50 for the first time since 2016.

The evident improvements, both on sporting and organisational fronts, are laying the foundations for the country and the UFA to build a lasting legacy in Uzbekistan after the FIFA U-20 World Cup.

“Of course, there is still a lot of work ahead. First of all, we need to organise this competition at the highest level,” Sadik-Akhunov concluded. “In this regard, special decisions have also been adopted by our government. We will mobilise all our efforts to ensure that this prestigious tournament is delivered at the highest possible standard.”