Uzbekistan, Jordan qualify for FIFA World Cup debut

Uzbekistan and Jordan have made football history by qualifying for the FIFA World Cup for the first time.

The two Asian nations secured their spots in the expanded 2026 World Cup, which will feature 48 teams and be hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

With this milestone, Uzbekistan and Jordan join seven other teams that have recently qualified for the tournament: South Korea, Japan, Iran, New Zealand, and Argentina. The host nations—USA, Mexico, and Canada—had already secured automatic qualification.

For Uzbekistan, the path to qualification required avoiding defeat against the United Arab Emirates. They met the requirement with a 0–0 draw, enough to secure their historic World Cup debut. Currently ranked 57th in the FIFA World Rankings, Uzbekistan has been a steady force in Asian football since gaining independence in 1992. Despite a near miss in the 2006 World Cup qualifiers due to a controversial refereeing decision, they have consistently performed in the AFC Asian Cup, reaching the semi-finals in 2011 and the quarter-finals in the latest edition.

Jordan, meanwhile, delivered a commanding 3–0 victory over Oman in what was described as their “match of a lifetime.” But to qualify, Jordan also needed South Korea to defeat Iraq — a result that came through with a 2–0 win. The combination of both results paved the way for Jordan’s first-ever appearance on the global football stage.

South Korea, with their victory over Iraq, have now qualified for their 11th consecutive World Cup, further cementing their status as a football powerhouse in Asia.