For the first time in Uzbekistan’s history, the national team competed at the FIFA World Cup, facing Colombia, Portugal, and DR Congo in the group stage. Thousands of Uzbekistanis cheered the team from the stands in the USA and Mexico. Among them were members of the national team's official fan club.

Gazeta tells the story of how supporters inspired the players and gave them confidence, how Atlanta resident Connor Merkle fell in love with Uzbek football, and how blogger Javohir Shermuhammadov was entrusted with carrying the ceremonial coin before the team's historic World Cup debut.

A Gazeta report on how the fan club in Andijan prepared for the tournament is available here.

The match between Uzbekistan and Colombia took place on June 18 at the legendary Azteca Stadium in Mexico City. Uzbekistan supporters entered the arena chanting: “The Timurids have arrived! The Baburids have arrived!” — a reference to two great Central Asian dynasties that originated in the territory of present-day Uzbekistan. In that match Abbosbek Fayzullayev scored the first goal in Uzbekistan's World Cup history.

Head of the fan club Nodirjon Tuychiyev recalls that before the game, many had been warned about possible clashes with Colombian supporters. However, the atmosphere was entirely friendly: fans exchanged jerseys, took photographs together, and many Colombians received traditional doppi (embroidered skullcaps) as gifts from Uzbekistanis.

Knowing that only a small number of Uzbekistani supporters would be able to cheer the team from the stands, Coca-Cola began collecting messages of support from people across the country well in advance of the tournament.

“The Colombian fans simply drowned out the small number of Uzbekistani supporters. Our players needed such support too. So we visited universities in different cities across Uzbekistan, recorded people's voices, and then collaborated with Sevara Nazarkhan to produce the song 'Olg'a, O'zbekiston' (Go, Uzbekistan!),” says Coca-Cola partner Javokhir Shermuhammatov.

Javokhir was also entrusted with a special role: before the Uzbekistan vs Colombia match, he carried the coin onto the pitch for the referee to use in the pre-match toss.

“When I walked onto the pitch with the coin, my hands were shaking. In that moment, I think I truly understood what our players feel. I handed the coin to the referee, greeted James Rodríguez, and then Eldor Shomurodov. I told him: 'Good luck, we believe in you. I have brought with me the voices of 38 million Uzbekistanis.' Then I walked off the pitch,” Javolhir recalls.

On June 20 in Houston, Azamat Hamrokulov, owner of ASR Food Market, one of the largest halal grocery store chains in the United States, prepared plov for Uzbekistani supporters along with his team. While the dish was being prepared, fan club members rehearsed chants and routines they planned to perform at the Uzbekistan vs Portugal match.

Noticing that some had chosen to watch from the sidelines, recording everything on their phones, Nodirjon Tuychiyev could not resist a joke: “Everyone has become a blogger.”

And then added: “You may have money, cars — all of that is yours, God willing. But supporting Uzbekistan is something every one of us must do.”

Moreover, the Uzbek diaspora in Houston also organized a separate gathering for supporters. Fan club members led chants and encouraged others to get behind the national team.

“That day, supporters from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, and Turkey joined us. We celebrated together and performed our chants,” tells Nodirjon Tuychiyev.

He noted with regret that not all compatriots responded to the invitation to join.

On June 23, Uzbekistan faced Portugal at NRG Stadium in Houston. The 5−0 defeat dampened the mood among Uzbekistani supporters. According to Nodirjon, around 90% of the crowd was backing Portugal, and Uzbekistan fans were scattered across different sections of the stadium.

“We tried to bring some of our supporters together so we could cheer as one, but the stadium had very strict rules: stewards checked that tickets matched the section and asked people to return to their seats. Still, in the polite Uzbek way and saying 'Please, please,' we managed to gather a few people around us,” he recalls.

According to Nodirjon Tuychiyev, fan club members had planned to play traditional Uzbek instruments during the match but encountered significant restrictions.

“We wanted to bring karnay and surnay, but it turned out to be very problematic. We were required to present a passport, be photographed, and undergo additional checks. Even so, we managed to bring a karnay into the Portugal match,” he said, explaining why the traditional Uzbek instruments were barely heard in the stands.

After the final whistle, the mood among Uzbekistan supporters visibly fell. The fan club members, however, were determined not to let the defeat bring them down.

Outside the stadium, they continued to sing, dance, and cheer for the team
“Whether they were Americans, Portuguese, or people from other countries — we danced with everyone, celebrated together, sang Uzbek songs, and performed our chants,” says Tuychiyev.

Connor has been following the Uzbekistan national team since 2018. At the time, he was in college and staying at a friend's place. Late one night, scrolling through World Cup qualification results on his phone, he paid attention to the Uzbekistan national team.

“I just kept coming across Uzbekistan, and they kept getting really good results, ties, low goal scores. I just got really invested in it,” he recalls.

Then he looked into the team and discovered that Uzbekistan had never appeared at a World Cup and had only been competing as an independent nation since the mid-1990s, following the dissolution of the Soviet Union. He says that was the moment he became truly hooked.

“I just got absolutely engrossed. Just watching this team put so much effort and get better and better for every process… I knew in that moment that you guys were going to make the Cup, and I had to be there for the whole journey to see it,” says Connor.

From that point on, Connor followed every Uzbekistan match closely. The 2026 World Cup qualification cycle was particularly emotional for him. He recalls staying up until 2 a.m. to follow the match against Syria, hoping the team would secure a playoff spot.

Connor is one of those rare supporters whose loyalty to a team is unconditional, independent of results. For such fans, the path is more important than the result.

When Uzbekistan qualified for the World Cup for the first time in history, he immediately called a friend. “They did it, they finally did it. I told you they were going to do it,” he said.

His family, particularly his mother, has always been supportive of his passion for following lesser-known national teams. There is, however, one unspoken rule: if Uzbekistan ever faces Germany, he is not allowed to cheer against the Germans. 

“It's my first World Cup game. It's also my first time seeing Uzbekistan. Them together at the same time is going to be magical,” he says, barely concealing his excitement.

Before the match against DR Congo, fan club members once again took to the streets with national songs and dances, sharing the festive atmosphere with supporters from around the world.

Nevertheless, this game ended Uzbekistan's hopes of advancing to the knockout stage. The team started strongly, but the win went to DR Congo.

After the tournament, reports appeared on social media claiming that some fan club members had decided to remain in the United States and not return home. Nodirjon confirmed that two supporters had indeed stayed in the country, but only to watch the final matches of the World Cup. According to him, they plan to return to Uzbekistan once the tournament ends.

The head of the fan club, Nodirjon Tuychiyev, urged supporters not to rush to criticize the national team. For the players, he noted, this was their first World Cup, and they are only beginning to gain experience at this level.

Connor, who will continue following the Uzbekistan national team from Atlanta after the World Cup, is confident the team has a bright future. In his view, the national team is capable of winning the Asian Cup in the upcoming years.

“All the great football nations have a particular style that they play. Spanish, for example, is back-and-forth and involves a lot of passing. But Uzbekistan's focus on its midfield and its back line has been absolutely phenomenal. In the near future, I think you can win the Asian Cup, I really do. I fancy your odds. Iran has won it. I think you can beat them. And I also think Uzbekistan is going to be regulars at the World Cup,” he says.