Uzbekistan gifts cars to national team members for securing World Cup spot

All players and coaching staff of Uzbekistan’s national football team were gifted cars following their victory in the final match against Qatar in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Asian qualifiers. The game took place in Tashkent, with the hosts winning 3-0 (Turgunboev 28’, Shomurodov 86’, Sergeev 90+2’).

One round before the end of qualification, Uzbek players secured their spot at the World Cup for the first time in history by drawing with the UAE. The achievements of the team, led by Timur Kapadze — who replaced Slovenian coach Srečko Katanec — were duly recognized. President Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed a decree to confer honorary titles and award medals and decorations to several players and coaches of the national team.

In the final qualification match, Uzbekistan’s winger Azizbek Turgunboev, who plays for Turkish club Sivasspor, opened the scoring. In the 85th minute, Eldor Shomurodov, a forward from Serie A club AS Roma, doubled the lead. In the 2nd minute of added time, Igor Sergeev, a player for local club Pakhtakor who previously played for Kazakhstan’s Aktobe and Tobol, sealed the 3-0 victory.

At the end of the game, 40 BYD cars were rolled out onto the field, and ignition keys were handed to all players and members of the national team’s coaching staff.

Uzbekistan finished second in the group. Iran, in the same group, also made it to the final tournament. The UAE and Qatar are to continue fighting for the World Cup spot in the next qualification round.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19. This will be the first time when 48 national teams will play from six confederations.

The participation quotas are as follows: 16 for Europe, 9.5 for Africa, 8.5 for Asia, 6.5 each for CONMEBOL and CONCACAF, and 1.5 for Oceania. The decimals in this case indicate participation in the intercontinental playoffs.