TASHKENT, Uzbekistan — As Uzbekistan approaches a historic chance to qualify for the men’s World Cup for the first time, head coach Sre?ko Katanec has stepped down from his role, citing health concerns.
The Uzbekistan soccer federation has announced that Katanec expressed his sorrow over his inability to perform his responsibilities to the fullest extent due to his current health condition.
While the specifics regarding the 61-year-old Slovenian coach’s health issues have not been disclosed, the federation extended its wishes for his swift recovery and success in his future coaching endeavors.
Under Katanec’s guidance, Uzbekistan has reached the second position in its qualifying group for the 2026 World Cup, with the next matches set to take place in March.
Currently, Iran is leading the six-team group, with four matches remaining in the qualifying campaign. The top two teams will secure their spots in the tournament, which will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
The teams finishing in third and fourth place will move on to another round of qualifiers.
Since his appointment in 2021, Katanec has successfully led Uzbekistan to the quarterfinals of the 2023 Asian Cup and has provided the team with its best opportunity yet to secure a World Cup qualification since the nation gained independence following the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
Comparatively, Asia has seen an increase in World Cup slots, with eight guaranteed entries in the new 48-team format, an expansion from the four places allocated when the previous 32-team format concluded in 2022.
Katanec’s coaching experience extends to five different national teams, including two tenures with Slovenia, whom he coached to their first appearance in a tournament, the 2000 European Championship.