17 Uzbek Clubs Granted AFC Licenses

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has announced the list of clubs granted licenses to participate in the 2025/26 season's continental competitions. Among them are 17 clubs from Uzbekistan.

Qatar and Indonesia each had 18 clubs successfully complete the licensing process. Clubs from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Vietnam were also highly active in the process. Meanwhile, Uzbekistan’s neighbors, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, had two clubs each obtain licenses.

It’s worth noting that Uzbekistan had already become one of the continent’s most active members, with 17 clubs licensed for the 2023/24 season and 19 for the 2024/25 season. However, the recent withdrawal of Turon and Metallurg from professional football impacted the total number of licenses issued for the new season. Additionally, since the Paris 2024 spot had already been secured, the Olympic football club did not place special emphasis on the licensing process.

All clubs currently competing in the Uzbekistan Superleague obtained full licensing during the second cycle. Among Pro League teams, only Lokomotiv managed to secure a license.

For context, after the number of Superleague clubs was increased to 16, a clause in the “Superleague and Pro League Regulations” — which previously prevented non-licensed clubs from participating in the next season — was removed. This means that clubs without an AFC license will still be allowed to play in the 2026 Superleague season. Additionally, even if a Superleague club fails to obtain a license, its place in the league for the following season has been pre-secured.