Uruguay Fc Delayed Hours by Paperwork Before Saudi Arabia Opener
Uruguay fc reached Miami several hours late after paperwork problems delayed its flight from Cancún, disrupting Marcelo Bielsa’s buildup before the team’s opening World Cup game against Saudi Arabia. The squad had been due to fly early on Sunday afternoon, but the travel snag pushed back a pre-match press conference at Miami Stadium.
Bielsa’s Miami Arrival
Marcelo Bielsa’s group was supposed to leave Mexico for Fort Lauderdale on Sunday afternoon, but the first flight was cancelled when paperwork for the plane was not ready. A second plane was then commissioned, and that flight was delayed as well, leaving the team behind schedule before it reached South Florida.
José María Giménez called the situation difficult. He said, “We had some complications,” and added, “It was difficult, but we took advantage by resting at the hotel. And we just got here later.” His comments matched the broader team response: wait, rest, and absorb the delay before moving into match buildup.
AUF And FIFA Delay
An AUF spokesperson said the departure was outside the federation’s control and pointed to FIFA’s role in the schedule shift. The statement said, “Due to problems beyond the control of the AUF, the departure from Mexico has been delayed. The squad is resting at the hotel. The new departure time set by Fifa is 4.15pm.”
AUF officials also reposted a 2010 message from Diego Forlán that asked, “Who is to blame???” and ended with, “Arriba Uruguay!!” That reference tied the day’s delay to an older World Cup travel complaint, but the immediate issue was simpler: Uruguay lost part of its pre-match routine on the eve of its opener.
Playa Del Carmen Build-Up
Uruguay had been based in Playa del Carmen for its World Cup buildup after a two-week training camp in Montevideo and the last week in Mexico. The team trained earlier on Sunday before heading to Cancún international airport, then had to reset again once the trip to South Florida fell behind.
Bielsa, leading Uruguay at a World Cup for the first time, has managed this tournament before with Argentina in 2002 and with Chile eight years later. He also faced calls to resign last November after Uruguay’s 5-1 friendly defeat to the United States, then saw the team draw with England and Algeria in March before the long gap without a match. Sunday’s delay did not change the opener against Saudi Arabia, but it did compress the final stretch of preparation just before kickoff.
