The Uzbekistan national football team formed in 1946. The team joined FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation in 1994. The team has spent most of its existence as part of the Soviet Union.

After the country gained independence from the Soviet Union, the team played its first game in 1992. Uzbekistan drew 2-2 with another newly independent team, Tajikistan. Since the team has stood alone it has often been the strongest of the ex-Soviet teams. Just two years after that first game Uzbekistan won the 1994 Asian Games.

Uzbekistan first attempted to qualify for the world cup in 1998. The team convincingly won their first round group with five wins from six games. In this first ever series of games, Uzbekistan managed to beat Cambodia 6-0 and Yemen 5-1. The second round group stage was a step to far for the fledgling team as they finished fourth of five. In a group that included Asian heavyweights Japan and South Korea, this was no surprise.