On September 8, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev received President of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) Gianni Infantino.

At the beginning of the conversation, the FIFA President once again sincerely congratulated the leader and people of Uzbekistan on the historic event — the national team’s qualification for the final stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States. It was emphasized that this well-deserved success is a practical result of the effective reforms being carried out in the country, the attention given to the development of sports, and the comprehensive support being provided.

Discussions focused on further expanding Uzbekistan’s fruitful cooperation with this prestigious international organization, primarily in improving the system of organizing and managing football, fostering young talents, and training coaches, referees, managers, sports doctors, and technical specialists to international standards.

It was noted with great satisfaction that close cooperation is being carried out in implementing joint programs to promote football, especially among the youth.

With FIFA’s technical support, the modern National Football Center has been established, including a digital football situation center equipped with innovative solutions.

Last year, the FIFA Futsal World Cup was successfully held in Uzbekistan.

Special attention was also given to the organization of major FIFA tournaments and events in Uzbekistan.

An agreement was reached to open FIFA’s regional office for Central Asian countries in Tashkent.

At the end of the meeting, the President of Uzbekistan awarded FIFA President Gianni Infantino the nation’s high state award — the “Do‘stlik” for his personal contribution to the development and promotion of Uzbek football on the international stage.