2026 World Cup Debutants: Uzbekistan’s Rise from Soviet Shadows ft. Donat Iskanderov

Last Friday's 2026 World Cup draw in Washington DC kicks off a new mini-series running on the FootPol Podcast this season, about debutant nations heading to next year’s tournament. In this first episode, we turn to Uzbekistan — one of the most intriguing first-timers on the global stage.

Guy Burton and Francesco Belcastro are joined by Donat Iskanderov, a Central Asian groundhopper from Tashkent, to unpack how Uzbekistan reached its first-ever men’s World Cup and what that achievement means for the country. Together they explore the domestic football landscape and the evolution of the national team, shifting from early post-independence squads dominated by ethnic Russians to today’s Uzbek-led side that resonates far more with supporters. Donat discusses the political significance of qualification for the government’s “New Uzbekistan” narrative, the surge in national pride, and the young players now emerging in European leagues.

This episode sets the tone for our ongoing World Cup debutants series as we track the football, politics and identity shaping the newest members of the global game. Watch out for future episodes on Jordan, Cabo Verde and Curaçao!