Kapadze named new Uzbekistan coach after Katanec departure

Timur Kapadze has been named Uzbekistan national team coach following the departure of Srecko Katanec due to ill health, the country’s football federation has confirmed.

Kapadze, who led the nation’s under-23 team to the Olympic Games last year, was appointed after Katanec left the role on Wednesday, two months before World Cup qualifiers against Kyrgyzstan and Iran.

The 43-year-old has been hired because he is “familiar with the team and players, has played for the national team for many years and worked as a head coach and assistant coach,” the Uzbekistan Football Association (UFA) said on Instagram.

“In the current situation, UFA believes Kapadze’s coaching talent, responsibility, position among the team members and always striving for a higher goal will provide a positive result in these important matches.”

Uzbekistan have never qualified for the World Cup, but Katanec has left the team in a strong position to secure their first appearance at the finals.

They are currently second in Group A of Asia’s preliminaries for the 2026 World Cup, three points behind Iran and three ahead of the United Arab Emirates with four games remaining.

The top two finishers in the six-team group qualify automatically for the World Cup, while the nations in third and fourth advance to a further round of preliminaries.

Uzbekistan host Kyrgyzstan in Tashkent on March 20 before travelling to Tehran to face the Iranians on March 25.