President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan emphasized at a meeting on April 7 that sport should become not only a means of strengthening health and achieving high results but also a full-fledged economic sector generating income. He reviewed issues related to organizing national championship football matches and noted that fan attendance is not at the expected level due to some matches being held during working hours.

Responsible officials have been instructed to schedule Uzbekistan Superliga matches on weekends or on weekdays after 7:00 PM, organize additional services around stadiums, musical and entertainment events, and establish convenient transportation for fans. Additionally, a program is planned to be developed to sharply increase stadium attendance by offering affordable football packages.

The meeting also reviewed the state of sports infrastructure in the regions. It was noted that 39 open and closed sports facilities in the areas are in disrepair and not fully utilized. Managers have been tasked with developing a draft decision to transfer such objects to private partnerships under favorable conditions to turn them into modern sports complexes.

Recall that by presidential decision, a model of direct financing of football clubs from the state budget is being implemented in Uzbekistan. In 2026, teams will receive 560 billion soums—35 billion soums each. Furthermore, income tax from individuals is being abolished for them, and the social tax rate is set at 1%. Preferential loans will be allocated to entrepreneurs wishing to purchase a club.

Source: www.gazeta.uz