The Uzbekistan Football Association has presented a list of 30 players who will continue preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup under Fabio Cannavaro.
In the official video and in several subsequent media reports, the list has already been described as Uzbekistan’s squad for the tournament. However, from a regulatory point of view, it is not yet the final World Cup squad.
Under FIFA regulations, the final squad for the World Cup must include between 23 and 26 players. Final lists must be submitted by June 1, while FIFA will publish the official squads of all participating teams on June 2. Until then, all announced squads remain provisional.
That means Uzbekistan’s current 30-man list will have to be reduced. Cannavaro must select 26 players who will be included in the official final squad. The remaining players may stay with the team as reserves, but their tournament status will be different from that of the players included in FIFA’s official list.
As football expert Alisher Nikimbaev notes, Uzbekistan are likely to remain the only team to have announced a squad with more than 26 names.
The 30-man list also includes several players who did not feature during Uzbekistan’s World Cup qualifying campaign. Among them are defenders Avazbek Ulmasaliev, Bekhruz Karimov and Jahongir Urozov, midfielders Sherzod Esanov, Umarali Rakhmonaliyev and Aziz Ganiyev, as well as forwards Sherzod Temirov and Aziz Amonov.
At the same time, some players approach the tournament after injuries or fitness issues. Jaloliddin Masharipov’s participation, in particular, remains in question. Cannavaro has previously admitted that the midfielder is not yet 100 percent fit, while stressing his importance for the team and the dressing room.
Khojimat Erkinov’s absence is also notable. The winger was one of Uzbekistan’s regular players during World Cup qualifying, but he has not been included in the 30-man list for the final stage of preparation.
Khusaniddin Alikulov and Ibrokhimkhalil Yuldoshev are also missing because of injuries. Aziz Turgunboev and Bobur Abdikholikov, who regularly featured during the qualifying campaign, have also been left out of the 30-man list.
Uzbekistan will play at the World Cup for the first time. Cannavaro’s team have been drawn into Group K alongside Colombia, Portugal and DR Congo.
Uzbekistan’s 30-man squad
Goalkeepers:
Utkir Yusupov (Navbahor), Botirali Ergashev (Neftchi), Abduvohid Nematov (Nasaf).
Defenders:
Abdukodir Khusanov (Manchester City, England), Avazbek Ulmasaliev (AGMK), Jahongir Urozov (Dinamo), Rustam Ashurmatov (Esteghlal, Iran), Umar Eshmurodov (Nasaf), Abdulla Abdullayev (Dibba, UAE), Farrukh Sayfiyev (Neftchi), Khojiakbar Alijonov (Pakhtakor), Sherzod Nasrullayev (Pakhtakor), Bekhruz Karimov (Surkhon).
Midfielders:
Sherzod Esanov (Bukhara), Umarali Rakhmonaliyev (Sabah, Azerbaijan), Odil Khamrobekov (Tractor, Iran), Akmal Mozgovoy (Pakhtakor), Otabek Shukurov (Baniyas, UAE), Jamshid Iskanderov (Neftchi), Jasur Jaloliddinov (Sogdiana), Aziz Ganiyev (Al Bataeh, UAE).
Forwards:
Abbosbek Fayzullaev (Istanbul Basaksehir, Türkiye), Jaloliddin Masharipov (Esteghlal, Iran), Doston Khamdamov (Pakhtakor), Oston Urunov (Persepolis, Iran), Ruslan Zhiyanov (Navbahor), Aziz Amonov (Dinamo), Sherzod Temirov (Erbil, Iraq), Igor Sergeev (Persepolis, Iran), Eldor Shomurodov (Istanbul Basaksehir, Türkiye).