Uruguay opens 2026 World Cup Group H against Saudi Arabia
uruguay begins its 2026 FIFA World Cup Group H schedule on Monday against Saudi Arabia, opening play in a tournament that runs from June 11 until July 19 across 16 cities in the United States, Canada and Mexico. For Juan Manuel Sanabria, the match could bring a World Cup debut after five previous caps for Uruguay.
The group stage leaves little margin. The top two teams from each group and the top eight third-place finishers move on to the knockout phase, so both Uruguay and Saudi Arabia start with immediate pressure to take points from the first match.
Uruguay and Marcelo Bielsa
Uruguay arrive as two-time world champions from 1930 and 1950 and are taking part in their 15th World Cup. Marcelo Bielsa, who coached Argentina at the 2002 World Cup and Chile at the 2010 World Cup, leads a squad that includes Real Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde and Atlético Madrid center back José María Giménez.
Sanabria brings a different profile. The Real Salt Lake wingback has six assists in 11 MLS appearances during a standout debut season, and he is in line to add a first World Cup appearance if Bielsa uses him against Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia's third straight trip
Saudi Arabia are making their seventh World Cup appearance and their third straight trip. They reached the tournament by topping Group B in the fourth round of AFC qualifiers, and they enter with Salem Al-Dawsari as captain, RC Lens right back Saud Abdulhamid among the leading names, and Al-Ahli striker Feras Al-Buraikan after five goals in qualifying.
Saudi Arabia also carry one result from Qatar 2022 that still shapes how opponents frame them: a 2-1 win over eventual champions Argentina. Georgios Donis will try to turn that pedigree into points again, beginning with Uruguay before Saudi Arabia close the group stage against Spain on June 21 and Cape Verde on June 26.
June 21 and June 26
Uruguay face Cape Verde on June 21 and Spain on June 26, while Saudi Arabia play Spain on June 21 and Cape Verde on June 26. Those dates leave both teams with a narrow window to recover from Monday's opener if the first result goes against them, and they will know by then whether Group H has already tilted toward one of the top-two places.
