Manchester City Officially Congratulates Khusanov on Uzbekistan’s Historic World Cup Qualification

English football club Manchester City has officially congratulated Abdukodir Khusanov, the club’s young defender, and the Uzbekistan national football team on their historic achievement—qualifying for the FIFA World Cup for the first time in the country’s history.

The club shared a message of celebration on its official website and social media platforms following Uzbekistan’s 0–0 draw with the United Arab Emirates, a result that secured the crucial point needed to advance to the 2026 World Cup, set to take place in the USA, Canada, and Mexico.

«Congratulations to Kodir from everyone at Manchester City on this landmark day for Uzbek football,» the club’s statement read.

The 21-year-old Khusanov played the full match, once again proving to be a defensive cornerstone for his national side. His performance helped keep a clean sheet, sealing Uzbekistan’s place in the football history books.

This long-awaited qualification marks the culmination of 27 years of effort. Since beginning their World Cup journey in 1998, Uzbekistan has repeatedly come close, but this is the first time they have secured a place on football’s biggest stage.

Uzbekistan will play their final qualifying match against Qatar on June 10 in Tashkent.

Kursiv Uzbekistan reports that Kapitalbank and Visa served as official partners for Uzbekistan’s key qualifier match.