Expert Comments on Uzbekistan's Advance to 2026 World Cup Playoffs

"Attention is the most valuable resource. All countries in the world compete for the attention of potential tourists, and all investment attraction agencies compete for the attention of investors," stated Denis Sokolov, General Director of Commonwealth Partnership Uzbekistan, commenting on Uzbekistan's qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup playoffs.

 "The national team's participation in the World Cup has a significant impact not only on the country's sporting reputation but also on its economic and investment attractiveness," Sokolov said.

According to the expert, such success is not only a sporting achievement but also an important signal to the global audience. He emphasized that international events of this scale open a unique window of opportunity for increasing the country's recognition, attracting investment, and developing tourism.

"Of course, the team's performance result is important, but even more important is that for a whole month, viewers worldwide will not only be watching football; they will be reading news, interviews with players and coaches, and sharing the emotions," he noted.

Sokolov also recalled examples from other countries:

"In 2018, the Icelandic team reached the playoffs for the first time and became the smallest country in the world participating in the Championship. The team did not advance from the group, but the squad attracted attention because many Icelandic footballers combined their passion for football with successful professional careers and businesses."
"It is important to understand that the World Cup is more than just football; it is an opportunity to showcase the informal face of a country through human stories and cultural peculiarities," the CMPW General Director summarized.

Earlier, Kursiv Uzbekistan reported that on June 10, 2025, the President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev personally attended the national team's final match against Qatar.


Source: Kursiv.uz 

Photo: Press service of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan