--- title: "Cannavaro and Asian Cup Rescheduling: Why the Italian Coach Might Leave Uzbekistan Prematurely" description: "Fabio Cannavaro may prematurely leave the post of Uzbekistan national team coach due to the postponement of the 2027 Asian Cup by almost a year. The Football Association denied rumors and confirmed the Italian's active contract." date: 2026-11-04T14:42:29.365Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/cannavaro-uzbekistan-coach-asian-cup-rescheduling tags: [fabio-cannavaro, uzbekistan-football, afc-asian-cup-2027, national-team, football-coach] author: "Dmitriy Shatolov" publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Cannavaro and Asian Cup Rescheduling: Why the Italian Coach Might Leave Uzbekistan Prematurely ![Uzbekistan national football team head coach Fabio Cannavaro smiling during training session](https://xab.info/media/2026/11/04/kannavaro-mozhet-pokinit-sbornuyu-uzbekstana-perenos-kubka-azii/kannavaro-mozhet-pokinit-sbornuyu-uzbekstana-perenos-kubka-azii-1.webp) ## Key Points - Fabio Cannavaro is considering leaving the Uzbekistan national team amid the rescheduling of the 2027 Asian Cup - The 2027 Asian Cup was postponed from January-February 2027 to December 2027 — January 2028 - The Uzbekistan Football Association denied rumors of the coach's departure and confirmed his valid contract - Under Cannavaro's leadership, Uzbekistan qualified for the 2026 World Cup for the first time in history Italian manager Fabio Cannavaro, who has been heading the national team of Uzbekistan since the autumn of 2025, is considering the possibility of leaving his position as head coach prematurely. According to journalist Fabrizio Romano, published on the social network X and verified by Sport RBC.UA, the key trigger for reconsidering the Italian's plans was a change in the calendar of the upcoming Asian Cup. Under Cannavaro's leadership, the Uzbek team reached the 2026 World Cup for the first time in its history, making the current cycle one of the most significant in domestic football history. ### Tournament Rescheduling: Almost a Year of Waiting The 2027 Asian Cup, originally scheduled to take place in Saudi Arabia from January 7 to February 5, 2027, has been postponed to the period from December 23, 2027, to January 21, 2028. The organizers explain the date change by a combination of factors: the tense situation in the region, logistical difficulties, and disruptions in transport communication. Thus, the continental championship will take place almost a year later than planned. At the same time, the new dates of the tournament still need to receive official approval from FIFA, which adds an element of uncertainty to team preparations. ### Official Position of the Federation Reports about Cannavaro's possible departure received a swift reaction from the Uzbekistan Football Association. The federation stated that this information does not correspond to reality and urged the media and fans to rely exclusively on official announcements. Head of the National Teams Department Usmon Toshev additionally confirmed that the Italian specialist has a valid contract and will continue to lead the team, including in the upcoming friendly match against the Russian national team. ### Calendar Conflict and Preparation Strategy Rescheduling the Asian Cup to late 2027 and early 2028 creates a difficult task for the coaching staff in building preparations. Shifting the tournament by almost a year changes the entire logic of training cycles, the scheduling of control matches, and, likely, plans for squad renewal. For a coach who has just led the team through a historic cycle with qualification for the World Cup, such a restructuring may mean the need to reconsider long-term goals and, consequently, reflection on future work. According to Romano, this very factor prompted Cannavaro to think about his future in the national team. ### Context: What is Known About Cannavaro's Work Fabio Cannavaro, a two-time Ballon d'Or winner and Italian football legend, took charge of the Uzbekistan national team in the autumn of 2025. In a relatively short period, he led the team to the 2026 World Cup, which became a breakthrough achievement for Uzbek football. Now, against the backdrop of the Asian championship postponement, the Italian's future in the team remains in question: on the one hand, the federation confirms the strength of the contract, on the other hand, the coach himself, according to reports, is assessing the feasibility of continuing work under changed conditions. The final decision is expected to be announced in the coming weeks. ## Accounts differ ### Is Cannavaro leaving the post of Uzbekistan national team coach - **Fabrizio Romano (via Sport RBC.UA):** Cannavaro is considering the possibility of prematurely leaving the coach position due to the postponement of the 2027 Asian Cup ([sport.rbc.ua](https://sport.rbc.ua/ukr/football/legenda-italiyskogo-futbolu-mozhe-piti-zi-1793798016.html)) - **Uzbekistan Football Association:** Information about the departure is untrue; the coach has a valid contract and will lead the team in the match against Russia ([sport.rbc.ua](https://sport.rbc.ua/ukr/football/legenda-italiyskogo-futbolu-mozhe-piti-zi-1793798016.html)) *Where they agree:* Cannavaro has a valid contract with the federation and will continue working with the team, including a friendly match against Russia ## Fact-Check & Sources - [Легенда итальянского футбола может уйти из сборной Узбекистана по странной причине](https://sport.rbc.ua/ukr/football/legenda-italiyskogo-futbolu-mozhe-piti-zi-1793798016.html) - Primary source. Contains a link to Fabrizio Romano on X and an official refutation from the UFA. The fact of the Asian Cup postponement and dates are indicated. The coach's contract was confirmed by the head of the national teams department. ## FAQ ### Why might Fabio Cannavaro leave the Uzbekistan national team? According to Fabrizio Romano, the reason was the postponement of the 2027 Asian Cup by almost a year, which forced the coach to reconsider his plans for further work with the team. ### Did the Uzbekistan Football Association confirm Cannavaro's departure? No. The Uzbekistan Football Association stated that the information is untrue. Head of the National Teams Department Usmon Toshev confirmed that the coach has a valid contract. ### What are the new dates for the 2027 Asian Cup? The tournament has been rescheduled from January 7 – February 5, 2027 to December 23, 2027 – January 21, 2028. The new dates still require FIFA approval. ### What is Cannavaro's main achievement with the Uzbekistan national team? Under his leadership, the national team qualified for the 2026 World Cup for the first time in history.