WLA Delegation Meets with UFA Leadership

Secretary General of the World Leagues Association (WLA) Jérôme Perlemuter, WLA development expert Stanislav Shtipkov, Executive Director of the Czech Football League Tomáš Bárta, and General Director of the Uzbekistan Professional Football League (UzPFL) Diyor Imomkhojaev visited the Uzbekistan Football Association (UFA) for a meeting with the organization’s First Vice President, Ravshan Ermatov.

The primary focus of the meeting was the relationship between the UFA and UzPFL. It is no secret that the Association and the League have accomplished significant work over the past five years, and this has been reflected in the results of the national teams.

Notably, since 2020, the UzPFL has launched the U19 championship. Today, all clubs in both the Superleague and Proleague have youth teams participating in this tournament. On average, the competition involves around 800 talented players aged 15 to 19 and has paved the way for a new stage in youth football development. For instance, while Uzbekistan’s U17 national team failed to progress past the qualification round of the 2018 AFC Championship, by 2023 the team reached the semifinals of the tournament, and in 2025 went on to win the title.

The reform of the U21 championship has also made the selection process easier for the Uzbekistan U20 national team, which became champions of the continental tournament in 2023. The WLA delegation was introduced to these developmental milestones. Preparatory efforts carried out by the UFA were also presented. Today, it is no secret that Uzbekistan’s youth national teams regularly take part in over ten international training camps and face strong national teams from confederations such as UEFA and CONMEBOL.

Furthermore, the Olympic project—its participation in both the Proleague and Superleague—was discussed, including how Uzbekistan, for the first time in its history, secured qualification for the Olympic Games. Other key topics included the revitalization of the Superleague in recent years and how the national team earned a place in the FIFA World Cup.

At the end of the meeting, the WLA delegation expressed its gratitude to the UFA leadership for the warm and productive meeting.