Uruguay wait as World Cup kicks off

World Cup opens, Uruguay wait

The 2026 World Cup has started, but your team is still waiting. Uruguay debut against Saudi Arabia at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. The match is coming up in Group H. No exact date from the sources yet, but the squad is in the United States and preparing under Marcelo Bielsa.

Every day between now and kickoff matters. Bielsa called himself "a generator of tension" after that 5–1 friendly loss to the United States in Montevideo last November. The two-hour press conference that followed was uncomfortable viewing. His vertical football is non-negotiable, and the question is simple: can the group sustain his intensity through a tournament?

José María Giménez gets ready for his fourth World Cup after a difficult season with Atlético Madrid. Manuel Ugarte is involved in the Group H opener. Darwin Núñez has been granted focus with the national team despite reports linking him back to Liverpool.

Fan-reaktioner

Fans are not happy about how Uruguay are being treated on U.S. soil. A Reddit thread picked up a story about the squad being pulled over and treated "like straight-up suspects" on the side of the road. See what supporters are saying.