Fabio Cannavaro takes charge, while Kapadze hints at departure – UFA takes first serious step ahead of 2026 World Cup

Today, October 6, the Uzbekistan Football Association officially signed a contract with Italian specialist Fabio Cannavaro, the 2006 Ballon d’Or winner and world champion, to become the head coach of the national team. Thus, a topic that the football community has been discussing for a long time has been partially concluded. A press conference was held the same day for the media, during which other key questions were answered.

At the press conference, Davron Fayziev, Director of the Media Department of the Uzbekistan Football Association, was the first to speak, addressing questions that had been circulating within the football community. In particular, he commented on some reports that had previously appeared in the media but had not been officially confirmed.

During the event, Ravshan Ermatov, First Vice President of the UFA, also provided official information about the rumors that had spread prior to Cannavaro’s appointment as head coach. He said that reports in the media claiming that the Italian specialist’s salary would amount to 4 million euros per year were false. According to the UFA official, Cannavaro will not receive even a quarter of that amount. However, in accordance with ethical guidelines and at the coach’s own request, the exact amount of his salary will not be disclosed.

Partial information was also provided about the future of Temur Kapadze, the former head coach of the national team who played a significant role in securing Uzbekistan’s first-ever World Cup playoff spot. In the announcement about Cannavaro’s coaching staff and assistants, Kapadze’s name was not mentioned. However, he attended the press conference as an assistant coach and stated that the length of his stay in this position is only a matter of time, as no clear agreement has been reached.

“I wish the team success. I have been working with Uzbekistan’s national teams for more than four years, and I believe I have fulfilled my duties properly. I wish the new head coach the best of luck. I will assist the team during this and the next training camp, and the rest will be determined by time,” Kapadze said.

It is worth noting that when rumors first emerged about Cannavaro’s potential arrival in Uzbekistan, many argued that Temur Kapadze deserved to remain as head coach and should be the one to lead the national team to the World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. UFA First Vice President Ravshan Ermatov also clarified the federation’s stance on this matter.

“After the team led by Srečko Katanec secured a World Cup playoff spot, the plan was to extend his contract. However, the head coach’s health unexpectedly deteriorated.
His coaching staff is expected to continue working within the academy and various national teams.
When appointing a new coach, continuous research was conducted by international experts, analysts, and the coaches’ council. There is not the slightest doubt about Temur Kapadze’s potential and coaching skills, and no disrespect was shown toward him. Our goal is to grow together at the international level.
Our aim is daily progress. We are among the developing football nations, and we must build a systematic approach. Upon his arrival, Cannavaro immediately met with the coaches of our youth teams, held discussions, and began analytical work — that is professionalism. We must approach our work critically and strive to be better today than we were yesterday,” Ermatov said.

Fabio Cannavaro, the new head coach of the Uzbekistan national team, also answered a number of journalists’ questions. He stated that he intends to stay in Uzbekistan for the long term and even brought his bicycle with him to the country.

“I have been in football since I was eight years old — it’s the only field I know. I hope that, over time, we will continue to grow. I visited here a month ago, and at that time, I jokingly said I was ready to work — and now it has become a reality. Of course, I have observed the players, but this will become clearer during training sessions.
Today, I met the players, and some of them even speak Italian. Communication between the coach and players is very important. I also discussed with Temur Kapadze the players invited to the training camp. I support having local specialists on the coaching staff, as it is a great help for me. It is essential to quickly understand the players’ mentality and the country’s culture, and I personally asked Ravshan Ermatov for support in this.
I will also be following Super League matches. As I mentioned, observing players on the field gives the best impression. I came here with a lot of ‘baggage.’ My goal is to spend more time here. I even brought my bicycle — though I don’t know if I will have time to ride it — because I enjoy being among people. I came with great enthusiasm and will also closely follow youth and junior teams.
We need to increase the intensity of the Super League, and we will discuss this with the management. The more we move at a high pace during matches, the better the results will become. Recovery for players is also crucial. We would ask club coaches to share the players’ daily, weekly, or monthly data so we can understand whether their performance is improving or not. The tempo of the World Cup is on a completely different level — I can say that with confidence.
I received offers from 7–8 different places. What convinced me to accept this one was, first of all, the fact that the team has reached the World Cup playoffs, and secondly, the seriousness of the project here. Is it difficult to play in the World Cup? Yes, it’s very difficult — but we will try. If I cannot establish communication with the team within eight months, then I must admit that I have a problem,” Cannavaro said.

It should be noted that as a player, Cannavaro won the 2006 World Cup with the Italian national team and that same year received the Ballon d’Or as well as FIFA’s “World Player of the Year” award. As a coach, he has worked with the Chinese national team and clubs in Saudi Arabia, Italy, and Croatia, although he has not achieved major results. Despite this, Cannavaro has stated that he will give his all for the Uzbekistan national team. Naturally, the football community and fans expect good results from him. Whether the 2+3 contract will extend to five years or remain at two will be determined by time.