History made: Debutants Uzbekistan and Jordan celebrate World Cup places
Reaction to Uzbekistan and Jordan qualifying for the Fifa World Cup for the first time
World Football · BBC World Service
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Show Notes
Uzbekistan and Jordan have qualified for the men’s Fifa World Cup for the first time, but what’s the reaction been like and how significant is it for the two countries?
World Football’s Isaac Fanin spoke to BBC journalists Khaldoon Alshamayleh in Amman, the capital of Jordan, and Firdavs Zavkiev in the Uzbek capital Tashkent to gauge the reaction.
South Korea also secured their place at the tournament with 10 countries now confirmed for the expanded 48-team tournament in United States, Canada and Mexico.
The three hosts have qualified automatically, while Japan, New Zealand, Iran and Argentina have also confirmed their spots.
Image: Uzbekistan's players celebrate after their 2026 FIFA World Cup Asian Qualifier football match against the United Arab Emirates ended in a draw, qualifying them for the World Cup for the first time, at Al-Nahyan Stadium in Abu Dhabi on June 5, 2025. (Photo by Fadel SENNA / AFP via Getty Images)