Construction of a 55,000-seat stadium launched in New Tashkent

TASHKENT, Nov 12 (UzA/APP) : President Shavkat Mirziyoyev attended a groundbreaking ceremony for a major sports facility in New Tashkent – a modern football stadium.
The past five years have been a turning point for Uzbek football. The system of national championships has been reformed, and youth academies have been established. Across the regions, 75 large and 302 mini stadiums are now in operation.
While in 2017 the country had only three football fields meeting FIFA and Asian Football Confederation standards, their number today exceeds ten.
Recently, a modern National Football Center was completed in Yuqorichirchiq district. More than 65,000 young athletes are now engaged in football at specialized schools, where coaches and sports medicine experts from leading international clubs have been invited to train them.
A system for selecting football players has been established, starting from the mahalla level. To support this, incentive mechanisms have been introduced, and mini-fields have been set up in 70 percent of mahallas. Repairs have been carried out at 1,500 school stadiums, and more than one million schoolchildren and young people have been engaged in football. Tournaments among mahallas, districts, regions, and at the national level have become a tradition.
These measures are beginning to yield results.
“For the first time in history, our Olympic team participated in the Olympic Games in Paris. For the first time, the national team has qualified for the upcoming World Cup. And now, in Qatar, our under-17 footballers are defending the country’s honor as champions of Asia”, the President said at the ceremony.
Today, 20 Uzbek football players are competing in prestigious foreign clubs, with their combined transfer value exceeding $60 million. It was noted that our compatriot, Abduqodir Khusanov, has become the most valuable footballer in Asia.
This reflects international recognition of the high level of the Uzbek football school.
The President also noted that during his recent visit to Uzbekistan, FIFA President Gianni Infantino highly praised the attention being paid to football, the infrastructure created, the management reforms, and the profound transformations that have taken place in Uzbek football. According to him, the international football community holds the country in great respect, and Uzbekistan is now considered one of Asia’s football powerhouses.
On October 2, the FIFA Council decided that Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan will jointly host the 2027 FIFA U-20 World Cup.
In each country, the championship matches will be held in three stadiums. The final and semifinals must take place in a stadium with a capacity of more than 50,000 spectators – one of FIFA’s key requirements.
“That is why we are launching the construction of a major facility for domestic football – a stadium in New Tashkent. Why was New Tashkent chosen for this 100-million-dollar project? Because New Tashkent will become a center of opportunities and advanced ideas”, the Head of State emphasized.
All projects in New Tashkent are being implemented within a unified concept – a harmonious combination of modern architectural approaches and national values, with an emphasis on environmental sustainability and smart management. The new stadium, designed in line with this concept, will be integrated into the natural environment and built in accordance with the principles of green energy, smart governance, and the creation of a comfortable urban space.
The stadium will be built in full compliance with FIFA requirements and will become one of the largest and most technologically advanced football facilities in Asia.
The complex will serve not only as a venue for the 2027 FIFA U-20 World Cup, but also as a long-term driver for the development of Uzbek football and youth sports for decades to come.
It should be noted that Uzbekistan’s right to host the world championship represents yet another expression of the international community’s trust and deep respect for the country.
It was emphasized that as part of preparations for the championship, a separate state program will be approved, defining specific tasks related to infrastructure, transportation, hotel services, healthcare, and the volunteer movement.
“The foundation of the New Tashkent stadium that we are laying today is the groundwork for our future victories. I am confident that this stadium will become a source of inspiration for young people, a symbol of national pride, and a great gift to millions of fans”, the President said.
Following the ceremony, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev placed a commemorative capsule into the foundation and officially launched the construction of the stadium.