| Uzbekistan Professional Football League | |||||||||||||
| Native Name: | Uzbek O'zbekiston professional futbol ligasi | ||||||||||||
| Map: |
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| Abbreviation: | OʻzPFL ЎзПФЛ | ||||||||||||
| Formation: | 2008 | ||||||||||||
| Founder: | Asian Football Confederation Uzbekistan Football Association | ||||||||||||
| Type: | Sports and football organization | ||||||||||||
| Location: | 47, Bunyodkor street, Tashkent, Uzbekistan | ||||||||||||
| Region: | Uzbekistan | ||||||||||||
| Membership: | World Leagues Forum | ||||||||||||
| Membership Year: | 2023 | ||||||||||||
| Language: | Uzbek, Russian, English | ||||||||||||
| Leader Title: | Director-General | ||||||||||||
| Leader Name: | Diyor Imamkhodjaev | ||||||||||||
| Parent Organization: | Uzbekistan Football Association Ministry of Sports | ||||||||||||
Uzbekistan Professional Football League, briefly UzPFL (Uzbek: Oʻzbekiston professional futbol ligasi / Ўзбекистон профессионал футбол лигаси, OʻzPFL, ЎзПФЛ) — a football organization that manages and oversees the entire system of the country's football leagues. In 2008, following a recommendation from the Asian Football Confederation, it was separated from the Football Federation of Uzbekistan to become an independent organization.
Coordinates the conduct of such professional football competitions as Super League, Pro League, First League, Higher League and First Futsal League, Uzbekistan Cup, League Cup, Uzbekistan Super Cup, Uzbekistan U19 and U21 championships, etc. It organizes competitions among football clubs, provides instruction on their sports and organizational and managerial activities, as well as relationships.
Facilitates the organization of football competitions at various levels in cooperation with ministries, departments, enterprises, and organizations of Uzbekistan.
It is one of the leading leagues in Asia in terms of licensing.
As of March 2024, five companies in Uzbekistan are official sponsors of the league.
In 1992, it was part of the organizational structure of the Football Federation of Uzbekistan and was the division responsible for holding professional football competitions in Uzbekistan. In early 2008, the Asian Football Confederation recommended the Football Federation of Uzbekistan to establish the PFL as a separate organization. It was established on June 20, 2008 at the General Meeting of the Football Association and Football Clubs of Uzbekistan and was registered by the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Uzbekistan on July 2.[1] [2] Became a member of the Association of World Professional Football Leagues on January 10, 2023.
The main goal of Uzbekistan Professional Football League is to coordinate the holding of professional football competitions on the territory of the Republic of Uzbekistan between football teams in the respective Super League, Pro League, First League, Higher League and First League on Futsal, Uzbekistan Cup, League Cup, Super Cup of Uzbekistan, all the age categories of Uzbekistan, to organize and conduct competitions among football clubs, coordination of professional football competitions, organization and conduct of competitions between football clubs, as well as management of their sports, organizational and managerial activities and relations.[3] [4]
Farkhad Magametov worked as the first head of the organization in 2008–2017. From September 2017 to 2019, Amon Gafurov headed the organization. Later, in 2019–20, the organization was headed by Davron Shoqurbanov. Diyor Imamkhodjaev, who temporarily served as the General Director from 2020 to 2022, was appointed as the General Director of the organization in 2022.
| Name | Appointed | Disappointed | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Farkhad Magametov[5] [6] | 04.09.2008 | 04.09.2017 | |
| Omon Gafurov[7] | 04.09.2017 | 17.06.2019 | |
| Davron Shokurbanov[8] | 17.06.2019 | 26.05.2020 | |
| Diyor Imamkhodjaev[9] | 26.05.2020 | till now |
Diyor Imamkhodjaev, General Director.[10]
Odil Akhmedov, member of the Executive Committee, vice-president of Uzbekistan Football Association.[10]
Tulabek Akramov, member of the Executive Committee, president of FC Lokomotiv Tashkent.[10]
Bahodir Mirzayev, member of the Executive Committee, general director of Olmaliq FK.[10]
Alisher Yusupov, member of the Executive Committee, manager of FC Nasaf.[10]
Oybekkhan Ibrahimkhanov, member of the Executive Committee, legal consultant of Uzbekistan Professional Football League.[10]
Uzbekistan Super League is the highest division in the system of football competitions of Uzbekistan, in which professional football clubs participate.[11] It was established in 1992 under the name of Supreme League. The championship will be held in March-November and each team will play 26 matches. From 2019, the title sponsor will be called the Pepsi Super League first, and then the Coca Cola Super League from 2020. From 2024, it will be called Artel Super League. In the history of the championships of Uzbekistan, a total of 45 clubs participated, and only 8 of them reached the championship podium: "Pakhtakor" - 16 times, "Neftchi" - 5 times, "Bunyodkor" - 5 times, "Lokomotiv" - 3 times, "Dostlik" - 2 times, MHSK - 1 time, "Navbahor" - 1 time, "Nasaf" - 1 time. In different years, the number of teams in the championship of Uzbekistan was different. In the first years, 16 teams participated in the championship, then in different years the number of teams was 14, 18 and 20. In 2025, the number of championship teams will once 16.[12]
It is a national football cup competition organized by Uzbekistan Professional Football League. Uzbekistan Cup competitions have been organized since 1992. The first winner of the competition is FC Navbahor Namangan. The winners of Uzbekistan Cup get the right to participate in the AFC Champions League.[13]
The Pakhtakor football club is considered the record holder for the number of victories in Uzbekistan Cup (13 times). The clubs "Bunyodkor" and "Nasaf Qarshi" won 4 times each, "Navbahor Namangan" and "Lokomotiv Tashkent" - 3 times each, "Neftchi Farg'ona" - 2 times, "AGMK", "Andijan" and "Dustlik Tashkent" - 1 time each.[14] [15]
Uzbekistan League Cup is an annual men's football competition. The competition, which has been held since 2010 by Uzbekistan Professional Football League and Uzbekistan Football Association, was not held in 2016-2018. Uzbekistan League Cup was organized for the first time in 2019. It will be attended mainly by Uzbek clubs, as well as football clubs from Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan at the invitation of UzPFL. The first winner of the competition is "Pakhtakor" team from Tashkent.[16]
A competition consisting of one match between the current Uzbekistan Cup winner and the winner of the Uzbekistan Super League. In the event that one team wins the Cup and the Super League, then in the game for the Super Cup it will be opposed by the team that took second place in the Super League. The game for the Super Cup of Uzbekistan is traditionally held in late February or early March, opening a new football season in the country. Usually, it is held at a neutral stadium for both teams.[17]
On November 21, 2017, according to the decision of the PFL management, the First League of Uzbekistan was officially renamed the Pro League of Uzbekistan from 2018 season. The league was reduced from 18 to 16 teams.[18]
It has been operating since 2010. Since the 2010 season, the first league competitions have been divided into two regions: the eastern region and the western region. Eastern region teams are made up of Andijan, Namangan, Fergana and Tashkent regional football clubs. The teams of the Western region are made up of football clubs of Syrdarya, Jizzakh, Navoi, Samarkand, Kashkadarya, Surkhandarya, Bukhara, Khorezm regions and the Republic of Karakalpakstan. Number of participating teams in each region: 14.
The First League of Uzbekistan previously served as a second-class competition in the football system. After the establishment of the Pro League in 2018, the First League was reorganized from 2020 and is now the third-tier competition in the country.[19]
A competition in which the youth teams of the Super League teams play in the football system of Uzbekistan. In accordance with the regulations of the UzPFL, players 21 years old and younger will participate in it. The matches of the U21 championship will be held one day after the main team matches.[20]
The youth national team under 19 years of age will defend the honor of Uzbekistan at the World Youth Football Championship (U20), Asian Championship under 19 years (U19) and other tournaments. A competition between under-19 teams of Super League and Pro League clubs. The U19 championship was founded in 2021. In it, all the clubs of the two top divisions will fight for the victory with their students. A competition between under-19 teams of Super League and Pro League clubs. The U19 championship was founded in 2021. In it, all the clubs of the two top divisions will fight for the victory with their students.[21]
The main division of the Futsal Championship of Uzbekistan. The country's strongest futsal teams will participate in it. The competition was held by the UzPFL on the basis of separate Regulations, and the winning team will eventually get the right to participate in the Asian Futsal Champions League.[22]
Futsal Cup of Uzbekistan is an annual competition in which teams of the Futsal Oliy League and Futsal First League participate.[23]
Professional and semi-professional futsal teams take part in the First Futsal League. Clubs compete for a place in the First League of Futsal.[24]
The U18 futsal championship was founded in 2022. The competition is organized with the participation of teams of futsal players under the age of 18 under the Futsal League clubs and is one of the conditions of the Licensing process of Asian Football Confederation. The Futsal League of Uzbekistan has been held since 2007. Currently, Uzbekistan has 17 futsal teams under the age of 18.[25] [26]
In cooperation with the State Security Service of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the Ministry of Sports, and the Agency for Youth Affairs, the State Security Service Cup (uz|DXX kubogi) will be held.[27]
It also hosts student's cup competitions in collaboration with the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and the Football Association.[28]
Uzbekistan Professional Football League cooperated with the "PepsiCo" in 2018-2019. Since 2019, Coca-Cola Beverage Uzbekistan has been sponsor of Uzbekistan Super League.[29] Since 2020, established cooperation with the insurance company "Apex Insurance". The company provides health insurance for more than 1,500 professional players registered in the league.[30] From 2021 to 2022, the sponsors were Epsilon, Madad Invest Bank Joint Stock Company, Turon Eco Cement and the Jizzakh Battery Plant.[31] On March 16, 2023, the "BMB Holding" company became the official sponsor of the Superleague.[32] Also, during 2023, Olcha.uz information portal and private airline "Centrum Air" became partners of Uzbekistan Professional Football League. On February 28, 2024, the company "Artel Electronics", which is considered the largest brand in the domestic appliances market of Uzbekistan, became the title sponsor of the Super League until the end of 2026.[33] [34] On March 12 of this year, the "" company became an official partner of Uzbekistan Professional Football League.[35]
Uzbekistan Professional Football League is one of the leaders in licensing in Asian continent. At the end of 2021, 12 Uzbek clubs won the license of the Asian Football Confederation and this was recorded as the 3rd best result in the continent. In 2021, among the women's teams, 2 clubs from Uzbekistan became the first in Asia to successfully pass the licensing.[36]
The Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the National Association of Non-Governmental Organizations of Uzbekistan have included UzPFL in the list of "Top 20 Most Transparent Non-Governmental Organizations" in 2021.[36]
Every month, it determines the winners of the best football club of Uzbekistan, the best player women/men, the best referee and other nominations and organizes their awarding at the end of the year.