News

FIFA has confirmed to continental confederations that the next Club World Cup will be staged in the summer of 2029, effectively ending Qatar’s proposed bid to host the tournament in the winter.

The governing body also indicated that the competition will feature more than the 32 teams that took part in the United States this summer, though it has not yet committed to the full 48-team model that will debut at the men’s World Cup in 2026.

Expansion has been strongly pushed by leading European clubs, with last month’s 32-team edition generating £750mln in prize and participation funds. FIFA is...

Uzbekistan will experience hot and dry weather today, with no rain expected across the country. Winds will generally blow at 7–12 m/s, occasionally strengthening to 13–18 m/s in some areas, raising dust. Daytime temperatures are forecast to reach between 34°C and 39°C.

In Tashkent, conditions will remain dry with light winds at 3–8 m/s. The capital’s daytime temperature is predicted to range between 36°C and 38°C.

Mountain regions are also expected to stay dry. Winds there will be moderate at 7–12 m/s, with possible gusts of up to 18 m/s. Temperatures in higher areas will be cooler, ranging from...

Several banks have updated their rates for exchanging foreign currencies into UZS as of August 25. This article contains information about the most favourable rates.

Here are Central Bank Reference Rates to exchange USD, EUR, GBP, CHF, JPY or KZT into soums:

Several banks offer the best rates to exchange USD, EUR, GBP, CHF, JPY or KZT into soums:

Financial institutions may change the value of currencies throughout the day. Banks report changes through their websites or applications.

Kursiv also reports that throughout previous...

Leaders of Uzbekistan’s National Olympic Committee and the Uzbekistan Football Association conducted a working visit to Manchester, England, where they held talks with City Football Group and Manchester City representatives.

During the meetings, Uzbek officials discussed long-term projects with Chief Operating Officer Roel de Vries, Managing Director Danny Wilson, Football Business Director Clive Reeves and other senior executives. The focus was on advancing Uzbek football through innovation, modern academies, stronger infrastructure and the use of international expertise.

City Football Group representatives noted Uzbekistan’s qualification for the World Cup as a sign of the sport’s rapid progress in the country...

Uzbekistan directed 273.4 trln soums ($22.12 bn) into fixed capital investment during January to June 2025, covering all areas of economic and social development, according to the National Statistics Committee.

The distribution by region was as follows:

Construction has begun on a new tourist and recreation zone on the shores of Lake Akchakul in the Ellikkala district of Karakalpakstan, reports Kursiv Uzbekistan. The project is valued at 73.4 bn soums ($5.9 mln).

Plans include three hotels, 18 guest houses, 20 holiday camps and two restaurants, all supported by the necessary infrastructure. Once completed, the project is expected to generate 75 new jobs.

As of August 1, Karakalpakstan is home to 90 travel companies, with 32 hotels, 35 hostels, three holiday camps and 33 guest houses already in operation.

Earlier, in the Takhtakupyr district, the company Karatereng Balyklari...

Afghanistan’s Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation has announced the appointment of new transport attaches in neighbouring and regional countries to improve trade links and provide better services for Afghan citizens.

The country relies heavily on overland routes through bordering states for both imports and exports, making regional cooperation and trade corridors essential for connecting Afghan businesses with global markets.

The new attaches will be stationed in Uzbekistan, Iran, Pakistan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan. Their role will be to help ease transit difficulties, support export growth and expand Afghanistan’s access to international markets.

Kursiv also reports that Afghanistan and...

Uzbekistan’s Anti-Corruption Agency has annulled the results of a state procurement tender by Uzbekistan Airports for the supply of body cameras. The company has confirmed the decision.

Uzbekistan Airports emphasised that the procurement procedure was conducted in full compliance with the law and state purchasing rules. Initial reports suggested the tender was worth 6.8 bn soums ($550,291), but this was only the starting price based on commercial bids. The final contract totalled 4.3 bn soums ($347,978) including VAT.

Responding to reports of links between the participating companies, Uzbekistan Airports explained that at the time of the tender there were...

Karakalpakstan attracted more than 199,300 international visitors between January and July 2025, according to the country’s Tourism Committee.

The region also saw steady growth in domestic travel: over the same period, more than 1.6 mln Uzbek citizensvisited Karakalpakstan. In the first half of the year, the export of tourism services from the region reached $26.1 mln.

To meet the rising demand, local authorities report the establishment of 13 new tourism companies since the beginning of August, including eight tour operators and five travel agencies. The region’s hospitality sector also expanded with the opening of two hotels, nine hostels, and three guesthouses.

CSKA Moscow have received €6 mln from the transfer of Abbosbek Faizullaev to Turkish club Başakşehir, out of the agreed €7.5 mln. The remaining €1.5 mln is being held in a special account in Turkey, sports journalist Ivan Karpov reports.

According to Karpov, CSKA’s management are currently deciding how best to allocate the funds. He added jokingly that fans should not worry about how the club will finance new signings such as Beltrán, as the Moscow side have similar deposits spread around the world.

Faizullaev was sold to Başakşehir at the end of July. Soon after, reports emerged of...

Russian media report that a woman spent nearly 24 hours in the Pacific Ocean off Sakhalin after a mistake by her diving instructor. Experienced diver set adrift during wreck dive.

The diver was later identified as 63-year-old Elena Dorofeeva, deputy director of a department at Russia’s Finance Ministry. An experienced diver, she had arranged a private dive while on holiday in Sakhalin. Together with instructor Pavel, she planned to descend to the wreck of the Anabar near Moneron Island in the Tatar Strait.

The instructor gave a briefing and told her they would meet at a depth of...

On August 24, most of Uzbekistan will experience dry weather. In the morning, parts of the Fergana Valley may see brief showers and possible thunderstorms. Winds will reach 7–12 m/s, occasionally strengthening to 13–16 m/s with dust. Daytime temperatures are forecast at 32–37°C.

In Tashkent, no rainfall is expected. Winds will be lighter at 3–8 m/s with temperatures ranging from 34–36°C.

In mountain areas, some locations may see short rain showers and thunderstorms. Winds will reach 7–12 m/s with occasional strengthening up to 13–16 m/s. Temperatures will be cooler at 23–28°C.

According to data from automatic air monitoring stations...

Several banks in Uzbekistan open their currency exchange points and money transfer offices over the weekends, according to the Central Bank of Uzbekistan.

The list includes:
Agrobank, Apexbank, Asia Alliance Bank, BRB, Ipoteka Bank, Milliy Bank, Orient Finans Bank, Tenge Bank, Trastbank, Universalbank, Kapitalbank, Hamkorbank, SQB, Asaka Bank, Anor Bank, Garant Bank and Hayot Bank.

Here are Central Bank Reference Rates to exchange USD, EUR, GBP, CHF, JPY or KZT into soums:

Several banks offer the best rates to exchange USD, EUR, GBP, CHF, JPY or KZT into...

Kuala Lumpur – Malaysian platform Ikhlas.com Travel & Umrah has introduced a new travel product that combines the traditional pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia with cultural tours of Uzbekistan.

The program, called Umrah Plus Uzbekistan, was unveiled in partnership with AirAsia X (AAX), which recently launched direct flights between Kuala Lumpur and Tashkent.

Starting at $1,318, the all-inclusive packages cover flights, accommodation, meals, and guided visits to Uzbekistan’s historic Islamic landmarks. The offer is available exclusively during the AirAsia Travel Fair 2025, held from August 22–24 at Pavilion Bukit Jalil Exhibition Centre.

Ikhlas.com CEO Ikhlas Kamarudin highlighted that the new program provides pilgrims with a unique opportunity:

Uzbekistan is considering buying ferries from Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan to strengthen its cargo transport capacity across the Caspian Sea, Minister of Transport Ilkhom Makhkamov said in an interview with national broadcaster «Uzbekistan 24.»

According to the minister, both countries operate shipbuilding facilities capable of producing the vessels Uzbekistan needs. The ferries would be deployed to expand freight services along the Trans-Caspian route, a corridor that is becoming increasingly important for regional trade and logistics.

Plans for cooperation in shipbuilding are not new. In autumn 2023, Azerbaijani outlet Vesti.az reported that Tashkent and Baku were preparing to launch joint ferry production...

U.S. President Donald Trump said that Washington has acquired a 10% share in semiconductor giant Intel, describing the move as a strategic step to bolster domestic chip production.

«This is a win-win deal for America and for Intel, which is leading in advanced semiconductor and microchip manufacturing,» Trump wrote on Truth Social.

The agreement was reportedly reached with Intel’s chairman, Lip-Bu Tan. Trump emphasized that the U.S. government did not pay for the stake, though no further details of the arrangement were disclosed.

According to Bloomberg, the deal is expected to support

Turkmenistan’s National Leader and head of the Halk Maslahaty, Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, has presented a special gift to Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev — a camel and its young calf.

According to the Uzbek presidential press service, the animals carry a symbolic meaning, representing prosperity and well-being.

The gift ceremony took place in the city of Turkmenbashi, during a trilateral meeting that also included Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. Berdymukhamedov also honored Aliyev with a purebred Akhal-Teke horse named Taus, which he explained stands for «Long live Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan.»

As part of the visit, the three leaders attended a performance by Turkmenistan’s renowned equestrian group Galkynysh, showcasing the country’s rich cultural...

A hacker using the alias ByteToBreach has claimed responsibility for breaking into the systems of Uzbekistan Airways, allegedly stealing personal information belonging to hundreds of thousands of people — including employees of several U.S. government agencies. The claim was first reported by Straight Arrow News, which reviewed samples of the leaked data.

What the hacker claims

According to the publication, the data set allegedly includes:

Among...

The State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) has launched exploration work at an oil field in Uzbekistan, according to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

Speaking after a trilateral meeting with Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Turkmenistan’s National Leader Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, Aliyev expressed optimism about the project’s potential. 

«We hope that within the next year or two, SOCAR will deliver good news. Everyone is eagerly awaiting the announcement of a major oil discovery in Uzbekistan,» he said.

The initiative follows an agreement signed in July between Uzbekistan’s government and SOCAR to jointly develop oil resources...

Uzbekistan received more than 6.3 mln foreign visitors between January and July 2025, a year-on-year increase of 48.9%, according to the National Statistics Committee.

Neighbouring markets dominated arrivals. Kyrgyzstan accounted for over 1.8 mln trips, Kazakhstan 1.46 mln and Tajikistan 1.44 mln. Tourists from Russia exceeded 536,800, while more than 267,400 people arrived from Afghanistan.

From longer-haul markets, China sent 103,100 visitors, Turkey 96,400 and India 38,000.

Family visits remained the principal reason for travel, with more than 4.3 mln entries. Leisure tourism totalled 949,900 trips and work purposes 710,000. Business travel stood at 255,100 as of early August.

Since the start of 2025, trade between Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan has totalled $700 mln, according to figures announced during a meeting between Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and the chairman of the Turkmen Halk Maslahaty, Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov.

The talks, held in the Avaza National Tourist Zone on Turkmenistan’s Caspian coast, focused on expanding cooperation between Tashkent and Ashgabat and deepening their strategic partnership.

Both leaders stressed that since the beginning of this winter a free trade regime has been in effect between the two countries, laying the foundation for stronger economic ties. They also noted that collaborative projects are being...

At a joint press conference, Uzbek president Shavkat Mirziyoyev said Tashkent, Ashgabat and Baku had placed special emphasis on developing regional transit corridors. The briefing also included Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev and chairman of the Halk Maslahaty Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov.

Representatives of the three states discussed using the seaports of Baku and Turkmenbashi and creating shared logistics infrastructure. They also reviewed the integration of national transport systems by aligning existing and planned routes across the region.

Mirziyoyev announced agreement to implement projects in logistics and ferry services across the Caspian Sea. The sides plan to expand cooperation in oil production...

Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan are considering the launch of a joint programme aimed at promoting tourism and cultural exchange. The initiative was discussed at a trilateral meeting held in the Avaza National Tourist Zone.

The programme is designed to highlight the cultural heritage and shared traditions of the three nations while fostering closer ties through tourism development.

Meeting brought together Uzbek president Shavkat Mirziyoyev, chairman of the Halk Maslahaty Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov and Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev.

Beyond tourism and culture, the leaders also focused on strengthening cooperation in trade, transport and energy.

Discussions included the prospect of a major...

South Korean fintech Toss (Viva Republica) has announced the removal of fees for international remittances made by foreign residents in Korea. The initiative will remain in effect until the end of 2025.

Among the countries included are Uzbekistan, the U.S., China, and Vietnam. For the hundreds of thousands of Uzbek migrants living in Korea, this means being able to send hard-earned income to their families without additional costs.

According to Toss, the initiative will benefit around 1.53 mln people, representing 64% of all registered long-term foreign residents in South Korea.

A Toss representative highlighted:

«This campaign is not only about waiving fees. It...