Ravshan Ermatov: "We have waited for this historic day for 33 years!"

The first vice-president of the Uzbekistan Football Association, Ravshan Ermatov, who is known worldwide as the legendary referee of our country's football, expressed his thoughts on the occasion of our national team qualifying for the World Cup for the first time.

Ermatov described this achievement as an unforgettable and proud event that will be written in golden letters in the history of Uzbekistan:

“The entire population of Uzbekistan — nearly 37 million people has been eagerly waiting for this great day for a long 33 years. We did not achieve this victory easily. Over the years, under the leadership of our President, high-level conditions have been created for our national teams of all ages. In response, our youth regularly participated in various age category World Cups and also earned the right to compete in the Olympic Games. Now our main national team has also achieved this dream and secured a place in the World Cup,” he said.

Ravshan Ermatov also emphasized that our country's football has undergone significant development in recent years:

“With the initiative of our President, Uzbek football is boldly stepping towards a level where it can compete with the strongest teams in the world. We are all happy about this victory because it is not only the achievement of our players or coaches but a collective success of our people. The contribution of our journalists here is invaluable; their constant support and dedication have been very important for us.”

Ermatov stressed that this historic event will serve as a great motivation for the younger generation:

“Our youth will see these days and live with the confidence that they can achieve such results as well. They will now understand: we are also capable of great deeds. I wish them to achieve even greater victories in the future, regardless of the fields they choose to pursue,” said the first vice-president of the UFA.

It is worth noting that on June 5, in the qualifying match against the UAE, our national team recorded a 0:0 draw away, securing the right to participate in the World Cup for the first time in its history. With this, Uzbekistan has earned the right to participate in the 2026 World Cup to be held in the USA, Canada, and Mexico.