Group: K — Portugal, DR Congo, Uzbekistan, Colombia

How they Qualified: Finished second in AFC third-round Group A and clinched their first-ever World Cup berth with a 0-0 draw away to the UAE.

Best World Cup Finish: First appearance

Transfermarkt Roster Value: $75.13 M

FIFA Rank: 50

Odds to Win Group: 35-1

Odds to Advance: +190

Odds to Win Cup: 1500-1

Key Players:

  • Abdukodir Khusanov — Center Back — Manchester City (Premier League). The clear headliner of this squad at $47M, easily the highest-valued Uzbek player. He has been on a rapid rise this season, cementing himself as a starter for Man City at just 22 years old as they push for a Premier League title.
  • Abbosbek Fayzullaev — Attacking Midfielder — Başakşehir (Turkey). One of the main creative sparks in the side, listed at $11M. Another 22-year-old, Fayzullaev is the rising offensive counterpart to Khusanov and led the team in scoring during qualifying.
  • Eldor Shomurodov — Striker — Başakşehir (Turkey). The veteran forward remains the focal point up front with 88 caps and 43 international goals, and scored in the recent March win over Gabon.

Playing Style and Outlook

Uzbekistan does not look like a pure hang-on-and-hope underdog. They lined up in a 3-4-3 in most of their critical qualifiers. The repeated use of Khusanov in the back line, Fayzullaev and Jaloliddin Masharipov as creative pieces, and Shomurodov as the central striker suggests a team that is comfortable with either a back three or back four, but consistently wants mobile attackers around a true No. 9.

The broader picture from qualification is of a side that is organized, hard to beat, and a little more technical than the typical debutant. They boasted a solid defense anchored by Khusanov, allowing the fewest goals in their group, just seven goals in ten games.

There is also a current wrinkle worth noting. Uzbekistan qualified under Timur Kapadze, but former Italian star Fabio Cannavaro was appointed in October 2025 to lead them into the tournament. Under Cannavaro, they went unbeaten in the March friendlies, beating Gabon 3-1 and drawing Venezuela 0-0 before winning on penalties. So the basic structure appears solid, even if the exact tactical details may still evolve a bit before June. In Group K, Portugal are deserved favorites, but Uzbekistan look competitive enough to make life uncomfortable for Colombia and DR Congo rather than just filling out the group.