First awarded three-star status in 2023, the renewal was granted following a comprehensive assessment by the AFC Youth Panel during a visit to Tashkent from May 29 to 31, 2025.

 

The assessment highlighted the UFA's successful youth development philosophy in building a winning mindset, whilst prioritising individual development across all technical, tactical, and training aspects.

To maintain consistency, the UFA established academies in all 14 regions of the country, implementing a unified approach. While each academy maintains its unique identity, there is a clear alignment in direction, fostered by strong communication led by the Technical Director.

 

It was noted that the UFA also invests heavily in infrastructure, underlined by the construction of one of the capital city’s most prominent football academies. Slated to open this September, facilities include a medical centre with multiple pools, a jacuzzi, physiotherapy services, a four-star hotel with 64 twin rooms, dormitories for 54 players and five pitches – three artificial and two natural, including a stadium for youth matches.

 

Additionally, the UFA maintains individual player profiles across all youth national teams and academies for talent identification purposes, which enables coaches and scouts to monitor development effectively.

On top of the three-star renewal for the UFA, two-star memberships were granted to the Bunyodkor FC Academy and Nasaf FC Academy, while the Andijan Academy received a one-star status.

 

UFA Senior Vice President Ravshan Irmatov emphasised their dedication to fostering a world-class environment for youth, saying: “Our unwavering commitment to elite youth development is the cornerstone of our mission to see Uzbekistan consistently compete among Asia's best.”

 

The AFC assessors added that UFA’s youth development policies could serve as a benchmark for other AFC Member Associations, and further recommended that the UFA elevate their coach development pathways to complement their youth development work, while at the same time enhance relationships between players, coaches and parents in the academy ecosystem.