Saudi Arabia vs Uruguay FIFA World Cup 2026 Preview: Everything you need to know

World Cup - Grp. H

Miami Stadium

Saudi Arabia vs Uruguay will kick off on 15 Jun 2026 at 18:00 EST and 22:00 GMT.

Saudi Arabia vs Uruguay: Match context

The Saudis sprang a surprise on the opening matchday of the 2022 World Cup, beating eventual champions Argentina. OPTA only gives them a 0.05% chance of winning the 2026 World Cup, but that doesn't mean another upset somewhere down the line isn't out of the question. Uruguay's path to the finals has been anything but serene, with Albiceleste finishing fourth in CONMEBOL qualifying. What can we expect when these sides meet in Miami?

Who are Saudi Arabia's coach and key players?

Veteran skipper Salem Al-Dawsari was the match-winner in that infamous triumph over Argentina in 2022. The two-time Asian Player of the Year remains the fulcrum of this side with his technical quality off the left-hand side. 22-year-old Al Qadsiah midfielder Musab Al-Juwayr will pull the strings in the heart of midfield. Lens right-back Saud Abdulhamid is the only player in the Saudi squad playing his club football outside of the country.

Who are Uruguay's coach and key players?

Coach Marcelo Bielsa implemented his signature, high-intensity 4-3-3 system focused on aggressive pressing. This approach saw Uruguay record 147 high turnovers during the qualifying cycle—26 more than any other nation in South America.

With Luis Suárez and Edinson Cavani having moved on from international football, Bielsa's system relies heavily on midfield workhorses. Real Madrid man Fede Valverde is the key piece in the puzzle, alongside Man United's Manuel Ugarte and the elegant Spurs playmaker Rodrigo Bentancur. Uruguay will look to make opponents' lives difficult with the vastly experienced duo of Ronald Araújo and José María Giménez marshalling the back four.

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Saudi Arabia 26-man squad

Goalkeepers: Mohammed Al Owais (Al Ula), Nawaf Al Aqidi (Al Nassr), Ahmed Al Kassar (Al Qadsiah).

Defenders: Abdulelah Al Amri (Al Nassr), Hassan Tambakti (Al Hilal), Jehad Thikri (Al Qadsiah), Ali Lajami (Al Hilal), Hassan Kadesh (Al Ittihad), Saud Abdulhamid (Lens, on loan from Roma), Mohammed Abu Al Shamat (Al Qadsiah), Ali Majrashi (Al Ahli), Moteb Al Harbi (Al Hilal), Nawaf Boushal (Al Nassr), Sultan Al-Ghannam (Al Nassr).

Midfielders: Mohammed Kanno (Al Hilal), Abdullah Al Khaibari (Al Nassr), Ziyad Al Johani (Al Ahli), Nasser Al Dawsari (Al Hilal), Musab Al Juwayr (Al Qadsiah), Alaa Al Hajji (Neom), Salem Al Dawsari (Al Hilal), Khalid Al Ghannam (Al Ettifaq), Ayman Yahya (Al Nassr).

Forwards: Firas Al Buraikan (Al Ahli), Saleh Al Shehri (Al Ittihad), Abdullah Al Hamdan (Al Nassr).

Saudi Arabia's Road to the World Cup

Placed in a gruelling Group C alongside powerhouse nations Japan and Australia, Saudi Arabia finished 3rd with 13 points (3 wins, 4 draws, 3 losses), narrowly missing out on the top two automatic spots. Striker Feras Al-Buraikan played a crucial role, finishing as the team's top scorer in qualifying with five strikes. Relegated to the playoff group stage, Saudi Arabia rose to the occasion in Group B. Following a crucial 3–2 away victory against Indonesia, they officially sealed their World Cup spot on October 14, 2025, with a dramatic goalless draw against Iraq in Jeddah.

Getty Images

Uruguay 26-man squad

Goalkeepers: Sergio Rochet (Internacional), Fernando Muslera (Galatasaray), Santiago Mele (Junior FC).

Defenders: Guillermo Varela (Flamengo), Ronald Araujo (Barcelona), Jose Maria Gimenez (Atletico Madrid), Santiago Bueno (Wolves), Sebastian Caceres (Club America), Mathias Olivera (Napoli), Joaquin Piquerez (Palmeiras), Matias Vina (Flamengo).

Midfielders: Manuel Ugarte (Manchester United), Emiliano Martinez (Palmeiras), Rodrigo Bentancur (Tottenham), Federico Valverde (Real Madrid), Agustin Canobbio (Fluminense), Juan Manuel Sanabria (Atletico San Luis), Giorgian de Arrascaeta (Flamengo), Nicolas de la Cruz (Flamengo), Rodrigo Zalazar (SC Braga), Facundo Pellistri (Panathinaikos), Maximiliano Araujo (Sporting CP), Brian Rodriguez (Club America).

Forwards: Rodrigo Aguirre (Club America), Federico Vinas (Real Oviedo), Darwin Nunez (Al Hilal).

Uruguay's Road to the World Cup

The campaign started with statement wins over Brazil and world champions Argentina in late 2023. However, the squad failed to score in eight of their final 12 qualifiers, scraping into fourth place in CONMEBOL qualifying.

Team news & squads

Saudi Arabia vs Uruguay Probable lineups

Saudi Arabia

KSA

Formation

Uruguay

URU

Uruguay

URU

Manager

• G. Donis

Saudi Arabia is managed by Georgios Donis for this tournament. No injuries or suspensions have been confirmed for the squad, and no probable starting lineup has been released at this stage. Further updates will be added closer to kick-off

Uruguay head into the match under Marcelo Bielsa, the coach who has reshaped La Celeste into a high-tempo, tactically disciplined side. As with Saudi Arabia, no injury or suspension information is currently available, and no projected XI has been confirmed. Check back for the latest squad news ahead of the match.

Form

Saudi Arabia arrives at this tournament with a mixed recent record, winning two and losing three of their last five matches. Their most recent outing was a 3-0 victory over Puerto Rico on June 5, though that result came against modest opposition. Prior to that, they lost 2-1 to Ecuador and 2-1 to Serbia in friendlies, and suffered a heavy 4-0 defeat to Egypt in March. A goalless draw with the UAE in the FIFA Arab Cup rounds out a five-match run in which they scored five goals and conceded nine.

Uruguay's recent form tells a more stable story. Bielsa's side have gone unbeaten in four of their last five matches, drawing 0-0 with Algeria and 1-1 with England in their two most recent friendlies. Their only defeat in this stretch was a 5-1 loss to the USA in November 2025, a result that stands out as an outlier. A goalless draw with Mexico and a 2-1 win over Uzbekistan complete the picture. Across five matches, Uruguay have scored three goals and conceded six, though its defensive solidity has clearly improved in the more recent outings.

Head-to-Head Record

KSA

Last 3 matches

URU

1

Win

1

Draw

1

Win

• Uruguay

  1

  -

  0

  Saudi Arabia

• Saudi Arabia

  1

  -

  1

  Uruguay

• Saudi Arabia

  3

  -

  2

  Uruguay

4

Goals scored

4

Games over 2.5 goals

1/3

Both teams scored

2/3

The most recent meeting between these sides came at the 2018 FIFA World Cup, where Uruguay beat Saudi Arabia 1-0. Before that, the two nations drew 1-1 in a friendly in October 2014, with Saudi Arabia hosting. The only other recorded meeting ended in a 3-2 win for Saudi Arabia in a March 2002 friendly. Across three meetings, Uruguay have won once, Saudi Arabia once, and one match ended in a draw.

Standings

In Group H, Saudi Arabia currently sit in second place, while Uruguay are fourth.