Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Italian coach and 2006 Ballon d’Or winner Fabio Cannavaro is set to become the head coach of the Uzbekistan national football team, according to prominent football insider Fabrizio Romano.
Romano reports that Cannavaro has verbally agreed to lead the national team in preparation for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
“An agreement on the key terms of the contract has been reached, and the formal documents are expected to be signed within 24–48 hours,” Romano noted.
Cannavaro previously coached Croatian club Dinamo Zagreb, as well as Italian teams Udinese and Benevento. In Asia, he managed Chinese clubs Guangzhou, Tianjin Quanjian, Guangzhou Evergrande, the China national team, and Saudi clubs Al-Ahli and Al-Nassr.
Currently, the Uzbekistan national team is led by Temur Kapadze. Uzbekistan has qualified for the World Cup finals for the first time in its history.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will take place from 11 June to 19 July across stadiums in the USA, Canada, and Mexico, and will feature 48 teams for the first time.
