The Uzbekistan football team created history on Thursday after qualifying for the FIFA World Cup for the first time ever. A 0-0 draw with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) secured them a spot in the 2026 tournament, which will be held in North America.

 

Playing in Abu Dhabi, Uzbekistan's goalkeeper Utkir Yusupov made several key saves in the second half to deny the UAE and secure a goalless draw. The UAE needed a win to remain in contention for automatic qualification, but the result means they will now progress to the next round of qualifiers. Uzbekistan’s qualification is particularly historic, marking their first since gaining independence in 1991.

 

In Group C, Australia took a big step toward qualification with a 1-0 win over Japan in Perth. Aziz Behich scored the winning goal in the 90th minute. Even though Japan had already qualified, Australia needed the victory to stay ahead of Saudi Arabia, who also won 2-0 against Bahrain with goals from Musab Al-Juwayr and Abdulrahman Al-Obud.

 

Australia are now three points ahead of Saudi Arabia. The two teams will play on Tuesday in Jeddah. Australia, however, have an advantage in goal difference, which means they can afford to lose by as many as four goals and still qualify as runners-up behind Japan.

 

In Group B, Jordan moved close to qualification with a 3-0 victory over Oman after a hat-trick by Ali Olwan. The team now awaits for the result of the South Korea vs Iraq match to confirm their qualification status.

 

Meanwhile, Indonesia also kept their World Cup hopes alive. A 1-0 win over China guaranteed their place in the fourth round of qualifying. Ole Romeny scored the only goal with a penalty just before halftime in Jakarta. The loss ended China's chances to succeed.