The build-up to the FIFA Futsal World Cup 2024™, the first FIFA tournament to take place in Central Asia, reached another milestone when the trophy was handed over to the host nation Uzbekistan at the FIFA office in Paris, France. FIFA President Gianni Infantino presented the trophy to Ravshan Irmatov, the Vice President of the Uzbekistan Football Association (UFA) and First Deputy Chairman of the Uzbekistan National Olympic Committee, and Adkham Ikramov, Minister of Sports of the Republic of Uzbekistan. Also in attendance at the handover were Oybek Kasimov, Secretary General of the Uzbekistan National Olympic Committee and Otabek Umarov, Vice President of the Olympic Council of Asia. Twenty-four teams will take part in the tournament’s 10th edition, with Afghanistan, Tajikistan, New Zealand and France making their debut and Portugal defending the title they won in Lithuania three years ago. The tournament will be held from 14 September to 6 October 2024 with matches in three Host Cities: Andijan, Bukhara and Tashkent. The draw for the tournament took place on 26 May 2024, in the breathtaking Registan Square, a UNESCO World Heritage site in the ancient Silk Road city of Samarkand.

“At our office in Paris, we passed an important milestone when I handed over the official trophy to the Uzbekistan Minister of Sports, Adkham Ikramov, and the Vice President of the Uzbekistan Football Association, Ravshan Irmatov,” said FIFA President Gianni Infantino. “I thanked them for the great work that has been done in preparing for this historic event and wished them the very best of luck. We had a taste of what to expect when the draw took place against a spectacular backdrop in Samarkand in May, and I am looking forward to a fantastic tournament in this amazing and beautiful country.” The Uzbekistani delegation was given a tour of the FIFA office museum where exhibits include one piece from Uzbekistan itself and previously used by Mr Irmatov, a former referee who officiated at three FIFA World Cup™ tournaments. “It was also nice to take a tour of the museum in our beautiful office here to view memorabilia honouring the great history of our beautiful sport, including a piece from Ravshan Irmatov’s time as a referee,” Mr Infantino added.