Uruguay reach Miami after delayed flight before World Cup opener
Uruguay landed less than 24 hours before facing Saudi Arabia after a paperwork-related travel delay in Mexico.
By Daniel Okafor · Business Editor
3 min read
Uruguay’s World Cup squad arrived in Miami on Sunday after a delayed trip from Mexico left the team with less than 24 hours before its first match. Al Jazeera and Reuters reported that the travel disruption forced Uruguay to postpone its pre-match news conference before Monday’s Group H game against Saudi Arabia.
The Uruguay Football Association blamed the delay on issues outside its control. FIFA later said the problem stemmed from an airline permitting error in Mexico, and said the airline had apologized.
Uruguay have been based in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, during preparations for the tournament, according to Al Jazeera and Reuters. The team trained there Sunday, then traveled to the airport in Cancun, about 72 kilometers away, where the delegation learned it was not authorized to enter the United States.
Al Jazeera and Reuters reported that Uruguay officials had to arrange another aircraft after the original flight could not leave because of administrative problems, including missing paperwork. The AUF said a plane from South Florida was sent to collect the squad while players waited at a resort near Cancun.
“Due to problems beyond the control of the AUF, the departure from Mexico has been delayed,” the association said in a statement. “The squad is resting at the hotel. The new departure time set by FIFA is 4:15pm [21:15 GMT].”
FIFA said in its own statement that it stayed in contact with Uruguay during the delay and worked with airport and operational partners to speed up the process. The governing body said it sought to limit disruption to the team’s travel plans.
Coach Marcelo Bielsa and captain Jose Maria Gimenez missed the original news conference scheduled in South Florida because of the delay, according to Al Jazeera and Reuters. The event was moved to 8 p.m. Eastern Time, or 00:00 GMT, and both attended.
Gimenez said in Spanish that the squad handled the wait by resting at the hotel in Cancun. “The trip went well; we made the most of it and saw it in a positive light,” he said.
Bielsa said the delayed flight did not create complications for the team. He then spoke about Uruguay’s preparation in Montevideo and Playa del Carmen, saying players had obligations in Uruguay’s capital but also spent time with family, which he considered necessary.
Uruguay and Saudi Arabia are scheduled to play Monday at 6 p.m. in Miami Gardens, or 22:00 GMT. The other Group H match, between Spain and Cape Verde, is set for Atlanta on Monday.
Al Jazeera and Reuters reported that Uruguay are among several World Cup participants or officials to face travel and entry problems. Somali referee Omar Artan was denied entry to the United States this week after being deemed inadmissible over vetting concerns, while Iran’s players received U.S. visas 10 days before their opening match in Los Angeles. Iraqi striker Aymen Hussein was questioned for hours at Chicago’s airport before being allowed in, while the team’s photographer was denied entry.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.