Uzbekneftegaz Ends Funding for Football Clubs

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — The state-owned oil and gas company Uzbekneftegaz has discontinued financing football clubs as of January 1, according to a statement made by First Deputy Chairman of the Management Board Sukhrob Khamrayev at a press conference on 20 April.

He said the decision was made in line with a government directive to end sponsorship support for professional football teams using company funds. Previously, Uzbekneftegaz had financed several clubs, including Nasaf, Bukhara, and Bunyodkor.

Khamrayev clarified that the termination of funding was implemented immediately, without a phased transition. The total annual support was estimated at 200–300 billion soums, which is approximately US$16.5–25 million based on the Central Bank exchange rate.

He emphasized that the company has now fully exited the system of financing football clubs.

At the same time, he noted that the government has introduced a new mechanism for supporting football through a separate state fund. Clubs in the Super League are expected to receive around 35 billion soums each under the new system.

The company representative also commented on outstanding debts owed to former players of Bunyodkor, including Brazilian footballer Rivaldo. He stated that these obligations belong to the club itself, not to Uzbekneftegaz.

Earlier reports indicated that Bunyodkor had reached agreements with Rivaldo and another former player to repay debts in installments, with the total amount estimated at around 9.2 million euros.

Overall, Uzbekistan is forming a new model for financing professional football, in which state support will be provided through centralized budget mechanisms, alongside tax and credit incentives for clubs and investors.