Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan makes its historic FIFA World Cup debut in 2026, qualifying through the AFC pathway. For fans in Tashkent, the World Cup will arrive in the very early morning hours, as Uzbekistan sits at Asia/Tashkent (UTC+5). The three Group K matches split between Central US and East Coast venues.

The first Group K match is June 17 in Mexico City against Colombia, kicking off at 20:00 Mexico City time (UTC-5). In Tashkent that is 06:00 on June 18. A sunrise kickoff. Uzbek fans will be setting 5am alarms.

The second match on June 23 is in Houston against Portugal, starting at 12:00 Central. That translates to midnight in Tashkent. The most accessible of the three if fans are willing to stay up.

The third group game on June 27 shifts to Atlanta for the match against the IC Path 1 winner, kicking off at 19:30 Eastern. In Tashkent that is 04:30 the following morning. Another pre-dawn kickoff.

Uzbekistan’s World Cup debut is a genuine achievement. The Central Asian nation has developed its football infrastructure significantly, and the squad has experience in Asian qualifying and continental competitions. The AFC route produced a team capable of competing at this level.

Group K with Portugal and Colombia is demanding, but Uzbekistan arrives without the weight of expectation that burdens more established nations. For the large Uzbek diaspora in Russia and other CIS nations (UTC+3 to UTC+6), viewing conditions range from midnight to early morning.

Check the timezone tool on this page for exact local kickoff times for every Uzbekistan match.