Uzbekistan coach Srečko Katanec resigns citing health issue with team close to 2026 World Cup place

TASHKENT, Uzbekistan (AP) — With Uzbekistan close to qualifying for the men’s World Cup for the first time, national-team coach Srečko Katanec resigned Wednesday citing health reasons.

The Uzbek soccer federation said Katanec “expressed his regret that he could no longer fulfil his duties professionally and completely in his current condition.”

In a statement, the federation wished him “a full recovery and success in his future coaching career.” Details of the 61-year-old Slovenian coach's health issues were not given.

Katanec has led Uzbekistan into second place in its 2026 World Cup qualifying group with games resuming in March. Iran leads the six-team standings with four rounds left. The top two advance to the tournament being co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. Third and fourth-place teams progress to another group phase.

Since being hired in 2021, Katanec took Uzbekistan to the quarterfinals of the 2023 Asian Cup and created its best chance to qualify for a World Cup since becoming an independent soccer nation after the breakup of the Soviet Union.

Asia now has eight guaranteed entries in the new 48-team World Cup compared to just four in the 32-team format that ended in 2022.

Uzbekistan was the fifth national team coached by Katanec, including two spells with Slovenia, who he led to its tournament debut at the 2000 European Championship.

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