President Awards Infantino with “Dostlik” Order for Contributions to Uzbek Football

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — On 8 September, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev received Gianni Infantino, President of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA).

At the start of the meeting, the FIFA President congratulated the President and the people of Uzbekistan on a historic achievement: the national team’s qualification for the final stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States. It was noted that this success reflects the results of effective reforms and comprehensive support for sports in the country.

The discussion focused on further development of cooperation with FIFA, including the transformation of football governance, support for young talents, and international-level training for coaches, referees, managers, sports doctors, and technical specialists.

Special attention was given to joint programs aimed at promoting football among youth. With FIFA’s technical support, a modern National Football Center has been established, including a digital football operations center implementing innovative solutions. Last year, Uzbekistan successfully hosted the Futsal World Cup.

The conversation also covered the organization of major FIFA tournaments and events in the country. An agreement was reached to open a FIFA regional office in Tashkent to serve Central Asian countries.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the President of Uzbekistan awarded Gianni Infantino the “Dostlik” Order in recognition of his personal contribution to the development and promotion of Uzbek football on the international stage.