It’s official: Humo Tashkent, the powerhouse of Uzbek hockey, will not be part of the 2025–2026 Pro Hokei Ligasy season. After months of rumors and quiet signs of trouble, the news confirms what many insiders had feared – the only fully professional hockey club in Uzbekistan is hitting pause on its cross-border campaign.
Humo Tashkent’s Exit from the Kazakh League: Cracks Started to Show in the Spring
Concerns about Humo’s future began surfacing in the spring of 2025, especially when a number of key dual-national players (with both Russian and Uzbek citizenship) started signing elsewhere. The silence from the club spoke volumes, and now we know why. The news was first reported by Kazakh journalist Jernur Saudegerov via Meta-ratings.kz, adding weight to the growing speculation. (1)
With their exit, the Kazakh top flight drops from 11 to 10 teams, reshaping the competitive landscape ahead of the new season.
What’s Next for Humo Tashkent?
At this point, it’s unclear where – or if – Humo Tashkent’s senior team will play in the upcoming season. A return to the Uzbekistan Ice Hockey League (UIHL) remains a possibility. In its most recent season, the UIHL counted five teams: Binokor Tashkent, Feniks Tashkent, Sherdor Samarkand, Tashkent Select, and Lions Tashkent.
What seems more certain is that Humo’s junior and youth programs are set to continue. Their U20 team is expected to remain active in Kazakhstan’s Jastar Hokei Ligasy, where they’ve competed since 2024.
From Government Vision to Ice Hockey Stronghold: The Key Figures Behind Humo Tashkent
Humo Tashkent was born out of Uzbekistan’s push to build world-class sports infrastructure, with major backing from the state. One of the key figures behind the project has been Bakhtiyor Fazilov — a heavyweight in the country’s energy and construction sectors and the current president of the Uzbekistan Ice Hockey Federation. Fazilov played a key role in bringing the stunning Humo Arena to life and continues to be one of the driving forces behind the club.
The Rise of Humo Tashkent, the Hotbed of Ice Hockey in Uzbekistan
Founded in 2018, Humo wasted no time putting Uzbekistan on the hockey map. They debuted in the domestic UIHL in 2019 and made a splash by joining Russia’s VHL the same year. Alongside the main squad, a farm team entered the Kazakh league, creating a robust two-pronged system.
Initially built almost entirely of Russian imports, the club simultaneously began investing in youth development, launching programs to nurture homegrown talent. Talk of a potential KHL entry emerged quickly, but the COVID-19 pandemic derailed those ambitions. The club went dormant in the VHL and the Kazakh league during the height of the pandemic.
In 2022, Humo returned to pro hockey, this time focusing solely on the Pro Hokei Ligasy. The results? Impressive. A finals appearance, a semifinal run, and a Kazakhstan Cup victory in 2024 underlined their elite status.
A Beacon for Uzbek Ice Hockey
More than just a club, Humo became the heartbeat of Uzbek hockey. They played in the stunning 12,500-seat Humo Arena, drawing over 3,000 fans regularly for domestic league games. In December 2024, they hosted a wildly successful KHL World Games event, where 9,405 fans packed the arena to watch Spartak Moscow vs. Dynamo Moscow.
Through the Humo project, several Russian imports earned Uzbek passports and eventually suited up for the national team. At the same time, the club helped launch the careers of top native talents like national team’s captain Javokhir Rasulov (hero of Uzbekistan’s gold at the 2025 IIHF World Championship Division 4), Czech U20 league prospect Jasurbek Rustamkhonov, and towering defenseman Daniel Kogan.
A Sudden Halt to a Rapid Climb
After years of meteoric progress, Humo’s withdrawal is a cold dose of reality. Financial hurdles appear to be the key factor behind the decision, though no official statement has confirmed the full picture. For now, the club’s future remains up in the air – a huge question mark for Uzbek hockey.
AsianIceHockey will continue to monitor this story as it develops.
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