Uzbekistan Football Association
Uzbekistan's national football governing body, responsible for its representative teams and the organization and oversight of domestic football competitions.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
The Uzbekistan Football Association (UFA), formerly known as the Uzbekistan Football Federation, is the national governing body for football in Uzbekistan. Its principal responsibilities include coordinating Uzbekistan's national teams, administering or overseeing domestic competitions, representing the country's football interests within the international football system, and supporting the development of men's, women's, youth, futsal, beach-soccer, and amputee football. The organization was established in 1946, when Uzbekistan was part of the Soviet Union. Following Uzbekistan's independence, the association became integrated into the post-Soviet international football structure. It has been a member of FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation since 1994, enabling Uzbek representative teams and clubs to participate in the relevant global and Asian competitions. The association's most visible sporting responsibility is the Uzbekistan men's national team, but its remit extends across a broad national-team system. This includes the Olympic or under-23 side, under-20 and under-17 men's teams, the senior women's team, women's under-20 and under-17 teams, men's and women's futsal teams, the national beach-soccer team, and an amputee football team. At domestic level, the association organizes or oversees major competitions including the Uzbek League, the second-tier Uzbekistan First League, the Uzbekistan Second League, the Uzbek Cup, the UzPFL Cup, and the Uzbek women's football championship. It also coordinates the broader competition framework and works with bodies such as the Uzbekistan Professional Football League and specialist football organizations. Through these functions, the UFA provides the regulatory and administrative structure connecting national teams, clubs, competitions, refereeing, and the country's football development programs. A notable international recognition came in January 2013, when FIFA presented the Uzbekistan Football Federation with its Fair Play Award at a ceremony in Zurich. The federation had also ranked first among Asian Football Confederation members in the 2012 Fair Play standings. The award formed part of the association's international profile and recognized conduct rather than a tournament result. The organization has historically been led by senior figures from Uzbekistan's political, administrative, and sporting institutions. Presidents since independence have included former prime minister Abdulhashim Mutalov, former interior minister Zokir Almatov, senator Mirabror Usmanov, National Paralympic Committee chairman Umid Ahmadjonov, Uzbekistan Railways chairman Achilbay Ramatov, and State Security Service chairman Abdusalom Azizov. In February 2025, Bakhodir Kurbanov was confirmed as president. Ravshan Irmatov, a prominent Uzbek football official and former international referee, has served as the association's first vice president and executive head since June 2019. The federation adopted its current name on January 25, 2018, when an extraordinary report-and-election conference approved the change from Uzbekistan Football Federation to Uzbekistan Football Association. The renaming reflected an institutional reorganization while preserving the body's role as the country's central football authority. The UFA also hosts an annual awards gala recognizing participants in Uzbek football. Its public-facing identity is therefore associated less with a commercial product than with national representation, competition administration, football development, and the governance of the sport in Uzbekistan.
History
The Uzbekistan Football Association traces its institutional origins to 1946, when the football federation in Uzbekistan was established during the period in which the republic formed part of the Soviet Union. Its early role was connected to the administration of football within the Soviet sporting system. After Uzbekistan became independent, the organization developed into the country's national football authority and assumed responsibility for representing Uzbek football internationally. A major post-independence step came in 1994, when the federation became a member of FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation. These memberships placed Uzbekistan within the formal international football structure and created the basis for participation by Uzbek national teams and clubs in global and Asian competitions. The association subsequently became responsible not only for the senior men's national team but also for a growing network of age-group and specialist teams. Its national-team responsibilities include men's senior, Olympic or under-23, under-20, and under-17 teams; senior and youth women's teams; men's and women's futsal teams; beach soccer; and amputee football. The federation's domestic role has been equally central. It organizes or oversees the Uzbek League, the Uzbekistan First League, the Uzbekistan Second League, the Uzbek Cup, the UzPFL Cup, and the Uzbek women's football championship. These competitions provide the principal domestic framework for club football and women's football, while the association also coordinates competition administration, refereeing, and relationships with related football institutions. The Uzbekistan Professional Football League is identified as a separate body within the country's football structure, and its director general is represented in the association's executive committee. The federation received international recognition for sporting conduct in 2013. At a January 7 ceremony in Zurich, FIFA awarded it the Fair Play Award. The recognition followed the federation's first-place position among AFC members in the 2012 Fair Play points standings. The award became one of the organization's most notable international distinctions and complemented its competitive and administrative responsibilities. Leadership of the association has often been held by senior public officials or prominent figures from Uzbekistan's political, security, transport, Olympic, and sporting institutions. After independence, Abdulhashim Mutalov, who was also Uzbekistan's prime minister, served as president from 1992 to 1995. Zokir Almatov, a colonel general and interior minister, led the organization for the following decade before leaving the presidency in 2005 because of health problems. Senator Mirabror Usmanov then served until 2017, when he stepped down because of deteriorating health. Umid Ahmadjonov, who chaired Uzbekistan's National Paralympic Committee, held the presidency from 2017 to 2018. On January 25, 2018, an extraordinary report-and-election conference approved the conversion of the Uzbekistan Football Federation into the Uzbekistan Football Association. The same conference elected Achilbay Ramatov, then associated with Uzbekistan Railways, the government, and the Uzbekistan Boxing Federation, as president. In July 2019, Abdusalom Azizov, a senior State Security Service official, was elected to replace him. First vice president Ravshan Irmatov became the association's acting and executive head from June 2019 and remained a central figure in its administration. The latest leadership transition described in the reference material took place in February 2025. Bakhodir Kurbanov was nominated for the presidency on February 13 and confirmed on February 22. The executive committee also includes representatives from the Olympic movement, professional football, futsal, refereeing, government advisory structures, and other public institutions. Beyond competitions and national teams, the association maintains a public football culture through its awards gala. The ceremony recognizes achievements in Uzbek football and has been held in different months depending on the edition. Overall, the UFA functions as a national sports-governance institution rather than a commercial consumer brand: its identity is built around national representation, competition regulation, player development, international affiliation, and the administration of football in its various forms across Uzbekistan.
- 2025
Bakhodir Kurbanov confirmed as president
[1]Kurbanov was confirmed as president on February 22, following the nomination of his candidacy earlier that month.
- 2019
Abdusalom Azizov elected president
[1]Azizov assumed the presidency, with Ravshan Irmatov serving as first vice president and executive head.
- 2018
Renamed Uzbekistan Football Association
[1]The January 25 extraordinary conference changed the organization's name from Uzbekistan Football Federation to Uzbekistan Football Association.
- 2013
Receives FIFA Fair Play Award
[1]FIFA honored the federation for Fair Play performance, following its leading AFC standing for 2012.
- 1994
Joins FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation
[1]The federation became part of the global and Asian football governing systems.
- 1946
Football federation established in Uzbekistan
[1]The organization was founded while Uzbekistan was still a Soviet republic.
Products and positioning
The national governing institution for football in Uzbekistan, combining international representation with domestic competition administration and the development of multiple forms and levels of the sport.
National teams
Uzbekistan national football teams
The association coordinates Uzbekistan's senior men's national team and its Olympic or under-23, under-20, and under-17 teams. These teams represent the country in international football and provide a pathway from junior and Olympic-age competition to the senior national side.
Women's football
Uzbekistan women's football programs
The UFA administers the senior women's national team as well as women's under-20 and under-17 teams. Its responsibilities include coordinating national representation and supporting the organized development of women's football in Uzbekistan.
Specialist football formats
Uzbekistan futsal and beach-soccer teams
The association oversees men's and women's futsal teams and a national beach-soccer team. These programs extend Uzbekistan's international football representation beyond the conventional eleven-a-side game.
Football competitions
Uzbek domestic competitions
The UFA organizes or oversees the Uzbek League, Uzbekistan First League, Uzbekistan Second League, Uzbek Cup, UzPFL Cup, and Uzbek women's football championship. Together these competitions form the principal domestic structure administered or supervised by the national association.
Awards program
Uzbekistan Football Association Awards Gala
The association hosts an awards ceremony recognizing achievements and participants in Uzbek football. The event has been staged in different months across its editions and forms part of the UFA's public football activities.
Brand decisions
2018
Change from Uzbekistan Football Federation to Uzbekistan Football AssociationStrategyBackground
An extraordinary report-and-election conference reviewed the federation's institutional structure on January 25, 2018.
Action taken
Delegates approved the organization's renaming as the Uzbekistan Football Association.
Aftermath
The organization continued its role as Uzbekistan's national football governing body under the UFA name.
Recent events
- 2025
Bakhodir Kurbanov confirmed as association president[1]
Leadership change
Bakhodir Kurbanov's candidacy was nominated in February 2025 and he was confirmed as president on February 22, 2025.
- 2019
Abdusalom Azizov elected president[1]
Leadership change
Abdusalom Azizov was elected president of the association, while Ravshan Irmatov became its first vice president and executive head.
- 2018
Federation changes name to Uzbekistan Football Association[1]
Leadership change
An extraordinary report-and-election conference approved the institutional name change from Uzbekistan Football Federation to Uzbekistan Football Association and elected Achilbay Ramatov as president.
- 2013
Uzbekistan Football Federation receives FIFA Fair Play Award[1]
Other
FIFA presented the Uzbekistan Football Federation with its Fair Play Award at a ceremony in Zurich, following the federation's leading Fair Play standing among AFC members for 2012.
Sources2 sources
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