English
Uzbek football is turning a new page. For the first time, Uzbekistan's national team has reached the final stage of the World Cup — a milestone not only for football, but for the country's sport as a whole. Ahead of the tournament, a new partnership has been launched in service of that same goal: the development of Uzbek football.
The Football Referees Centre of Uzbekistan and EUROASIA INSURANCE JSC have signed a memorandum of cooperation and sponsorship. The agreement is aimed at developing the country's refereeing system: supporting the Referees Academy, training young officials and raising their professional skill.
Why refereeing matters
Referees are responsible for the fairness of the game and do much to define the standing of a competition. The stronger the officiating, the higher the level of the football itself — and the greater the interest in it. Investing in referee training therefore means working for the future of Uzbek football as a whole.
The Uzbek school of refereeing is recognised abroad today. At past World Cups, the country was represented by a team led by Ravshan Irmatov, whose work did much to strengthen the international standing of the national game.
Our referees at the 2026 World Cup
Uzbek referees will once again be at work at the 2026 World Cup. Ilgiz Tantashev will officiate tournament matches as the main referee, with Andrey Sapenko and Timur Gaynullin as assistants. Behind this appointment lie years of consistent work to develop refereeing in the country.
What the partnership covers
Under the memorandum, EUROASIA INSURANCE will support training seminars, professional development programmes, the strengthening of facilities and equipment, and other educational projects run by the Centre. Particular attention will go to young, promising referees and to expanding the pool of officials ready to work at international level.
Sport that business invests in
The reforms of recent years in grassroots sport and football are producing visible results. The national team reaching the World Cup, the recognition of Uzbek referees abroad, and the growing support for sport from the private sector are all signs of the same process.
For EUROASIA INSURANCE, taking part in it is a chance to support the institution of football refereeing and the training of a new generation of specialists.
Launched ahead of the 2026 World Cup, this partnership will help both to strengthen the refereeing system and to raise Uzbekistan's standing on the international football stage.
The EUROASIA INSURANCE team wishes the Uzbekistan national side, and the refereeing crew led by Ilgiz Tantashev, bright matches, victories and good luck at the 2026 World Cup.
