The match June 5 that saw Uzbekistan qualify for the World Cup was nothing to write home about – a 0-0 tie against the United Arab Emirates, played in Abu Dhabi. The point the Uzbek squad received from that lackluster result, however, was enough to clinch second place in its group in the Asian regionals, earning a trip to North America next year.

Uzbekistan qualified for its debut soccer World Cup on Thursday night, becoming the first ever Central Asian country to make it to the sport’s global showpiece.

Qatar will face Uzbekistan on Tuesday in the final Group A match of the third phase of the Asian qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.The encounter will kick off at 4:45