Entrepreneurs will be offered to take over the management of 11 football clubs in Uzbekistan

1 hour ago

Professional football clubs in Uzbekistan are intended to be transferred to entrepreneurs for trust management, provided that they allocate at least 20% of the clubs' annual expenses for their financing. The list includes 11 clubs, including "Bunyodkor", "Navbahor", "Neftchi", and "Pakhtakor".

This is stated in the terms of the competition, which is being announced in execution of the decision of the President of Uzbekistan dated March 24, 2026, on improving the financing mechanisms of the sports sector and expanding the participation of entrepreneurs.

A number of tax and financial incentives are provided for entrepreneurs who take clubs into trust management. Thus, when calculating corporate income tax, the taxable profit of a legal entity can be reduced by the amount of sponsorship donations directed to financing the club, but by no more than 10% of the taxable profit.

The clubs' football players will be exempt from paying personal income tax, and the social tax rate for them will be 1%.

In addition, commercial banks will be able to issue loans for the purchase of clubs, as well as for the construction, reconstruction, and major repairs of sports facilities. Such loans will be provided for a period of five years at 14% per annum with a grace period of one year, subject to the availability of liquid collateral and a promising business plan. At the same time, buildings, structures, and land plots on the club's balance sheet cannot be used as such collateral.

Entrepreneurs will also be given a 50% discount on advertising their goods and services on central and regional television channels of the National Television and Radio Company of Uzbekistan system during broadcasts aimed at popularizing and promoting sports.

The list of clubs that can be transferred to trust management includes "Bunyodkor", "Bukhara", "Dinamo", "Qizilqum", "Navbahor", "Nasaf", "Neftchi", "Lokomotiv", "Mash'al", AGMK, and "Pakhtakor".

As a reminder, the problems with the "Bunyodkor" stadium are occurring against the backdrop of the difficult financial situation of the football club of the same name. The team has accumulated debts to foreign players, employees, tax, and utility services, and FIFA had previously imposed a transfer ban on the club.

For "Bunyodkor", the transfer of clubs to trust management takes place against the backdrop of financial problems. Since September 4, the club's stadium has remained without electricity due to a debt of almost two billion soums, and the club itself owes money to employees, tax and utility services, and foreign football players.