According to the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS), the Uzbek Premier League ranked 22nd in 2009 with 262.5 points and stood in the third place in Asia and the second in the CIS states after Ukraine.

Japan (12th place), Saudi Arabia (16th), Uzbekistan (22nd), Malaysia (30th), South Korea (33rd) and Syria (35th) were ranked first to sixth in Asia.

IFFHS said: “Also in the striving for football progress Asia, the leagues of Japan, of Uzbekistan and of the Republic of Korea have a good chance of retaining their present good places in the world ranking because these countries are each represented by a minimum of two teams in the quarter-finals of the AFC club competitions, and still have to play the national FA cup competitions. Saudi Arabia - the only still international represent with a team - has already played the Crown Prince Cup and will not therefore be able to retain its present good showing to the end of the year.”

The English Premier League was named the strongest league in the world by the IFFHS, followed by Brazil, Argentina, Germany and Spain’s leagues.