Uzbekistan celebrates debut World Cup qualification with Qatar victory
Uzbekistan celebrated becoming the first ever Central Asian nation to qualify for the football World Cup with a 3-0 victory over Qatar in their final group game.
The White Wolves had already secured their place at the 2026 finals last Thursday following a 0-0 draw with the United Arab Emirates. The result guaranteed them one of the two top spots in Group A of the World Cup Asian qualifiers, alongside Iran.
Prior to this campaign, Uzbekistan had failed on seven occasions to qualify for the World Cup since its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. The team's only major triumph previously had been winning the men's football tournament at the Asian Games in 1994.
Tuesday's win over Qatar at the Bunyodkor Stadium, in the Uzbek capital of Tashkent, was secured with goals by Eldor Shomurodov, Igor Sergeev and Aziz Turgunboev. Uzbekistan ended in second place in Group A with 21 points, behind Iran on 23 points.
Uzbekistan's President Shavkat Mirziyoyev watched the match, and was photographed sitting alongside the Prime Minister of Slovakia, Robert Fico, and the President of Bulgaria, Rumen Radev, as well as several heads of government from Central Asia.
Fico, Radev and dozens of foreign officials and international investors attended the Tashkent International Investment Forum earlier on Tuesday.
Before the match, Uzbekistan Football Association President Bakhodir Kurbanov and the country's Sports Minister Adkham Ikramov presented medals to the team's staff.
Following the game, President Mirziyoyev gave out awards and gifted cars to the players as a reward for qualifying.
"They showed true courage and perseverance and our people realized that their dream comes true", Mirziyoyev said.
"I am convinced that this historical achievement combines our people in the way of noble goals, a symbol of inspiration for thousands of young people, to further increase the international Uzbek prestige," he added.
The government has invested in the country's football development since 2018, which included the opening of football academies for young players in 14 regions nationwide.
In December 2019, Mirziyoyev signed a decree to improve the standard and development of football, including preparing national teams for international tournaments. Uzbekistan last year qualified for the Olympic Games football tournament for the first time.
With Asia now having eight guaranteed qualifiers in the new 48-team World Cup — compared to just four in the 32-team format that ended in 2022 with the Qatar tournament — Uzbekistan was a likely contender to step up.
While most of its team plays in the country's domestic league, it includes a few Europe-based stars like Roma forward Eldor Shomurodov and Manchester City defender Abdukodir Khusanov.
The 2026 World Cup will be held next June in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Austria is observing three days of national mourning for 10 people killed after a gunman attacked a high school in the southern city of Graz.
The incident in Austria's second-largest city of some 300,000 was the deadliest mass shooting in the Alpine country's recent history.
Police are investigating why the gunman, identified by authorities as a former student at the school who failed to graduate, may have carried out the attack.
The perpetrator, identified by Austrian media as "Artur A", had no prior criminal record. He reportedly took his own life in the school bathroom after carrying out the attack.
During a search of the alleged perpetrator's house, the police found plans for an explosive attack as well as a non-functioning pipe bomb.
They also found a digital and handwritten suicide note addressed to the perpetrator's parents.
"No motive can be taken from the farewell letter so far," Director of Public Security Franz Ruf told public broadcaster ORF on Tuesday evening. Local media speculated that years of bullying may have been a possible motive for the massacre.
By Wednesday morning, the authority that runs hospitals in Graz said that all patients were in stable condition.
Nine were still in intensive care units, with one needing a further operation on a facial wound and a second on a knee injury, while another two had been moved to regular wards.
Local media report that the 21-year-old lived with his mother. A neighbour told OE24 that 'he was completely introverted.'
The suspected gunman was in possession of two firearms which were seized by police after the attack.
He had legally acquired both weapons and had reportedly passed the psychological evaluation required in Austria to obtain a so-called 'Category B' firearm possession card.
In Austria, weapons are traditionally carried for hunting rather than for self-defence. Some weapons, such as rifles and shotguns, can be purchased from the age of 18 without a permit.
Other weapons, such as repeating shotguns or semi-automatic firearms, are more difficult to acquire — buyers need a gun ownership card and a firearms pass.
The rare shooting, which has led to an outpouring of grief and shock in Austria, is likely to prompt a domestic debate over whether arms should be restricted, which has more liberal gun laws and high private gun ownership relative to the rest of Europe.
The mayor of the city of Graz, Elke Kahr, has already called for a complete ban on private weapons. Gun licenses are "issued too quickly," she said in the aftermath of the tragedy.
The case would be examined and gaps would be closed, Ruf said. The perpetrator was not allowed to carry the weapons outside of his home, he added.
Local media speculated that the school was unprepared for an attack of this scale, given that school shootings are rare in Austria. Director of Public Security Franz Ruf stated that investigations will be launched to explore how schools can better implement preventive and protective measures to avoid similar tragedies in the future.
Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker called the tragedy "incomprehensible".
"Schools must remain places of peace – places where children can grow and learn," he said.
The government added that numerous crisis intervention teams have been set up to support the victims and their families, including a hotline for those affected.
"The school must be a safe place for everyone, where students can develop. Everyone who needs help after today's crime should get help," Education Minister Christoph Wiederkehr said.
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