Uzbekistan’s footballers won the Regional Cup

In the decisive match, the national teams of Uzbekistan and Iran faced each other. Regular time ended goalless, and the referee added extra time. When it seemed the outcome would be decided by a penalty shootout, in the 120th minute, Khojiakbar Alijonov scored with a header after a cross from the wing.

Thus, the Uzbekistan national team became the winner of the CAFA Nations Cup 2025.

The gold medals and the cup were presented to Uzbekistan’s footballers by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. FIFA President Gianni Infantino and other officials also attended the award ceremony.

The tournament served as excellent preparation for the Uzbekistan team ahead of the upcoming World Cup. Another milestone was the end of a 13-year winless streak in matches against Iran. It is worth recalling that in the first edition of the tournament in 2023, Uzbekistan lost to Iran in the final with a score of 0:1.

CAFA, the Central Asian Football Association, holds its tournament every two years. In this year’s competition, along with Uzbekistan and Iran, the national teams of Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, India, and Oman also took part.

The first international tournament held at the Olympic Village was marked by the victory of Uzbekistan footballers. This carries deep symbolism: the new arenas created for future generations are already becoming places of glory today. May this victory be a good omen for new achievements of Uzbek sport on the world stage.

UzA