Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan bid to jointly host the World Cup and launch a large-scale cultural project

Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan are strengthening their strategic partnership beyond economic and political ties. As part of the official visit of the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev to Azerbaijan, the initiative to hold a joint World Cup was announced, and one of the largest cultural projects of recent years — the construction of the Uzbekistan Park in Baku-was launched.

During a press conference following talks with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, the head of the Uzbek state announced the intention of the two countries to apply to the International Football Federation (FIFA) with a proposal to host the World Cup in Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan. President Mirziyoyev stressed that such an initiative will be a logical continuation of the growing cooperation and common sporting success. He also congratulated Azerbaijan on its recent triumph in the World Mini-Football Championship, noting that both countries share the desire to develop sports and strengthen the international image through major sporting events.

Against the background of diplomatic initiatives, the construction of the Uzbekistan cultural and entertainment complex has started in Baku. The project is being implemented on a 4.5-hectare plot and is estimated at $ 80 million. The complex will become a symbol of friendship between the two countries and will include replicas of historical sites of Bukhara, Samarkand and Khiva, craft workshops, shopping stalls, restaurants of Uzbek cuisine, a theme hotel and a number of modern tourist facilities-from an oceanarium to an indoor family amusement park.

According to the project documentation, the complex will include:

• Wax Museum, theme museum, movie theater and amphitheater;
• Zoo and beach with artificial "golden" sand and azure coastline;
• Tower-observation deck and indoor entertainment center;
• A center for applied crafts and a gastronomic area.

According to businessman Jahongir Artykhodjaev, who presented the project concept to the presidents, the park should become "a real mirror of Uzbekistan" and a platform for cultural dialogue. The project received the personal support of the heads of both states.

According to developers ' forecasts, the annual attendance of the park may reach up to 800 thousand people, which will create a steady tourist flow and an additional burden on the hotel and transport infrastructure of the capital of Azerbaijan. At the same time, the very idea of "exporting culture" in immersive space formats reflects the growing role of soft power in the region's bilateral policy.

The visit of the head of the Uzbek capital, Shavkat Umurzakov, to Baku in early June was a prologue to construction. He conducted an inspection of the site in the area of Bely Gorod, where the project will be implemented.

The rapprochement between Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan is reaching a new level, combining elements of cultural diplomacy, sports ambitions and infrastructure investment. In the context of geopolitical changes in the region, such a model of cooperation is becoming increasingly popular, offering countries expanded opportunities for presence both in Eurasia and in the international arena.