Team Lineups
Saudi Arabia (4-4-2): Al-Owais; Abdulhamid, Al-Amri, Altambakti, Al-Harbi; Abu Al-Shamat, Al-Juwayr, Al-Khaibari, Kanno; Al-Buraikan, Al-Dawsari
Uruguay (4-2-3-1): Muslera; Cáceres, Varela, Olivera, Viña; Ugarte, Bentancur; Araújo, Valverde, Viñas; Núñez
Match Preview
Welcome to live, minute-by-minute coverage of the World Cup 2026 group stage match between Saudi Arabia and Uruguay at the Miami Stadium. Saudi Arabia began the previous World Cup with a remarkable victory over Argentina. They aim to replicate a similar feat against another South American powerhouse tonight, which would significantly enhance their prospects of advancing from the group stage for only the second time in their history. Their first advancement occurred during their World Cup debut at the USA 1994 tournament, a fact well-known among football enthusiasts.
Uruguay did not qualify for the 1994 World Cup and also missed the tournaments in 1998 and 2006. However, their impressive run to the semi-finals in 2010 reaffirmed their status as a footballing nation with a rich pedigree and a reputation for both attracting and generating controversy. Since then, Uruguay has been a consistent presence in the World Cup. Although it is unlikely they will secure a third World Cup title to join their 1930 and 1950 victories, they invariably leave a significant mark on the competition. In the previous tournament, Uruguay and Ghana eliminated each other in the group stage.
Regardless of their achievements this time, the tournament promises excitement, especially with Marcelo Bielsa at the helm as coach.
Match Details
Kick-off is scheduled for 6pm EDT / 11pm BST / 8am AEST.
Uruguay’s Challenging Preparations
Uruguay’s preparations for their opening World Cup game against Saudi Arabia were notably disrupted due to multiple delays affecting their flight from Mexico. Marcelo Bielsa’s squad was scheduled to fly from Cancún to Fort Lauderdale early Sunday afternoon, but paperwork issues related to the aircraft caused the initial flight to be cancelled.
A replacement plane was arranged to transport the team to South Florida; however, this flight also experienced delays. Consequently, the squad arrived several hours late for the pre-match press conference at Miami Stadium.
In an uncharacteristically reserved manner, Bielsa minimized the impact of the travel delays on his players, noting that most of their preparations occurred during a two-week training camp in Montevideo, followed by a week in Mexico.
“The flight caused no problems,” Bielsa stated.
Uruguay’s captain, José María Giménez, was more candid about the situation, describing the delays as “difficult.” Other representatives from the Uruguayan Football Association (AUF) were less diplomatic regarding the travel complications.
“We had some complications,” said the Atlético Madrid defender. “It was difficult, but we took advantage by resting at the hotel. And we just got here later.”
You can find the full report below.
