Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan submit joint bid to host 2027 FIFA U-20 World Cup

FIFA has begun reviewing candidate countries for hosting the 2027 edition of the youth world championship.

“Considering the ongoing reforms in football, the growing infrastructure, and increasing international recognition in Turkic-speaking countries in recent years, the football associations of Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan have jointly expressed confidence in their ability to host the U-20 World Cup at a high level and have submitted their candidacy,” the statement reads.

Earlier, Uzbekistan, together with Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, submitted a joint bid to the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) to host the 2031 AFC Asian Cup.

Uzbekistan is actively positioning itself as a regional sports hub. Most recently, the country successfully hosted the FIFA Futsal World Cup from September 14 to October 6, 2024, with matches held across Tashkent, Bukhara, and Andijan.