Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev met with Asian Football Confederation (AFC) President Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa on 17 October 2026 to discuss prospects for further cooperation and the development of football in Uzbekistan.
The AFC chief praised the work being carried out in Uzbekistan to support amateur and professional football, build modern sports infrastructure and strengthen the educational foundations of the game.
The two sides paid particular attention to the joint development of football academies and expanding youth participation in the sport.
They highlighted the importance of implementing the “A Football Pitch in Every Mahalla” programme, which aims to encourage young people to take up football.
The talks concluded with an agreement to expand practical cooperation.
Priority areas include assistance with organising and hosting major football competitions, including women's and youth tournaments.
The parties also agreed to develop methodological support for training players and coaches and improve efforts to identify talented footballers.
Anvar Umarov
Anvar Umarov is the founder and editor-in-chief of UzDaily, a leading business and news publication covering Uzbekistan and Central Asia. With over 20 years of experience in journalism, he has also worked as a PR manager for both state and private organizations, bringing a broad perspective on media, communications, and public affairs to his editorial leadership.
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