Chaos at the World Cup in Uruguay: Bielsa’s team stranded in Cancun after a flight blunder

The Uruguayan national men’s team became embroiled in a paperwork controversy after its scheduled flight to the United States of America could not depart on time.

Uruguay has been drawn into Group H at the 2026 FIFA World Cup and will face Saudi Arabia in the first match of the tournament at Miami Stadium on June 15.

What happened to Team Uruguay?

Uruguay was training in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The plan was to fly from Mexico to Miami, where the pre-match press conference was scheduled, with head coach Marcelo Bielsa and captain José María Giménez.

However, the chartered flight that FIFA rented for the team reportedly did not have the necessary permits to enter the United States, causing a major delay in the team’s itinerary.

What’s next for Bielsa and Uruguay?

A resolution to the impasse has been found and the team will fly to Miami well behind schedule. However, that will not have any influence on the match against Saudi Arabia.

“Due to issues beyond the control of the AUF, the departure from Mexico has been postponed,” the Uruguayan Football Association said in a statement. «The selection is resting in the hotel. The new departure time set by FIFA is 4:15 p.m..»

Will Uruguay face sanctions for the delay?

Since the problem with the flight permits came from the organisers, in this case FIFA, it is unlikely that Uruguay will suffer any consequences from the delay.

“FIFA remained in close contact with the Uruguay national team during their delay and worked with airport and operational partners to expedite the process and minimize disruption to the team’s travel arrangements,” FIFA said in a statement.

Published on June 15, 2026