Uruguay's squad experienced significant travel disruption when their flight from Cancún to Fort Lauderdale was initially cancelled on Sunday afternoon due to paperwork relating to the aircraft. A second plane was commissioned but also delayed, forcing the team to arrive at Miami Stadium hours late for their pre-match press conference.
Coach Marcelo Bielsa downplayed the impact, stating The flight caused no problems, but captain José María Giménez was more candid, describing the situation as difficult while noting the team rested at the hotel to recover.
The Uruguayan Football Association blamed FIFA for the delays, stating the issues were beyond the AUF's control and that FIFA set the new departure time after the initial cancellation.
Late arrival reduces final preparation time ahead of the Saudi Arabia fixture; accumulated travel fatigue and reduced tactical drills in the final hours before kick-off may impact Uruguay's match sharpness and physical conditioning in their group-stage opener.
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