48-Team World Cup Sends New York Diasporas Into Celebration as Uzbekistan Reaches First Finals
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jun 6
48-Team World Cup Sends New York Diasporas Into Celebration as Uzbekistan Reaches First Finals
2 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jun 6
Summary
New York’s immigrant soccer communities are gearing up for a rare World Cup party after the tournament’s expansion opened places for debutants and long-absent national teams.
The field grew from 32 teams to 48, creating qualification paths for countries whose fans in the city had waited decades to see their teams reach the sport’s biggest stage.
Uzbekistan’s first-ever World Cup qualification became a focal point in South Brooklyn, where a large Uzbek diaspora greeted the breakthrough with jubilation.
For fans across the five boroughs, the expanded tournament is turning years of frustration over the World Cup’s four-year cycle into a chance to celebrate national representation in 2026.