Uruguay is based at the Mayakoba resort in Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo state, Mexico during the World Cup 2026. According to their schedule, coach Marcelo Bielsa's squad was to leave the hotel at noon on 14/6, travel to Cancun airport, and depart at 14h Cancun time for Miami to prepare for their opening Group H match against Saudi Arabia.

However, this plan fell apart at the last minute. The aircraft arranged to transport Uruguay did not meet the required US regulations, preventing the team from taking off as scheduled. The team even feared they might not arrive in Miami before the deadline set by FIFA.

Coach Marcelo Bielsa gives instructions during a press conference before the World Cup 2026 in Montevideo, Uruguay, on 1/6/2026. Photo: AP

According to Uruguayan media, the problem was not with the team or the Uruguayan Football Association (AUF), but with FIFA's transportation arrangements. The plane provided by FIFA was not permitted to land in Miami due to missing necessary documentation. The AUF was forced to find an alternative aircraft. This incident delayed the team's schedule by nearly two hours compared to the original plan.

During the wait, all team members remained at the Mayakoba hotel. Later, the AUF announced that the departure was postponed due to reasons beyond the federation's control, confirming that the players were resting at the hotel while awaiting a resolution.

According to El Pais, FIFA had not completed the necessary flight permits for the charter flight from Mexico to the US. When the documents were reviewed before departure, this permit was still not effective, forcing FIFA to rush additional procedures. The flight, originally scheduled for 14h, was delayed by several hours. This was Uruguay's first time traveling between World Cup 2026 venues according to FIFA's arrangements.

The incident became more serious because Uruguay had to be in Miami by 19h Miami time (18h Cancun time). This deadline is related to mandatory World Cup obligations, which require teams to be present in the host city at least 24 hours before kickoff.

The Uruguay - Saudi Arabia match is scheduled for 18h on 15/6 Miami time. Failing to arrive by 19h on 14/6 risked Uruguay violating the tournament's organizational regulations.

Captain Jose Maria Gimenez and the Uruguay squad board a plane from Cancun (Mexico) to Miami (US) on 14/6/2026. Photo: Seleccion Uruguay

The flight delay also caused other disruptions. Coach Marcelo Bielsa and captain Jose Maria Gimenez were scheduled to attend an official press conference at Hard Rock Stadium at 18h45 on 14/6. However, with the delayed arrival time, the press conference was unlikely to proceed as planned.

If the press conference was cancelled entirely, the AUF could even face financial penalties from FIFA, despite the issue stemming from the tournament organizer itself.

The incident caused significant frustration within the Uruguayan delegation, as it disrupted their entire preparation plan before the opening match. On the same day, the team completed their training session in Playa del Carmen before returning to the hotel to await new instructions.

Around 15h Cancun time (16h Miami time), the AUF announced the new departure time as 16h15 from Cancun. With a flight time of approximately one hour 50 minutes, Uruguay could still arrive in Miami close to the 19h deadline. The Uruguay national team also posted photos of the players boarding the plane at 16h41 Cancun time.

This is not the first time Uruguay has encountered problems related to FIFA's transportation arrangements. At the World Cup 2010 in South Africa, the team, then under coach Oscar Tabarez, was also affected by a delayed domestic flight arranged by the organizers.

By Hoang An (based on El Pais, El Observador)