Uruguay’s World Cup preparations descended into chaos hours before their opening fixture against Saudi Arabia when the aircraft carrying the squad was denied entry into the United States. The team, based in Cancun, Mexico, were due to face Saudi Arabia in Miami at 11pm BST on Monday, with head coach Marcelo Bielsa and defender Jose Maria Gimenez scheduled to face the press on Sunday. The Uruguayan Football Association (AUF) laid the blame firmly at FIFA’s door for the travel fiasco, which follows FIFA’s controversial decision to publish inflated official attendance figures despite widespread reports of empty seats. A replacement plane was subsequently arranged and the team have now landed. FIFA later explained the delay, insisting the airline was responsible. “Due to an airline permitting error in Mexico, the Uruguay national team’s departure from Cancun to Miami was delayed,” a statement said. “The airline has apologised for the inconvenience caused. FIFA remained in close contact with the Uruguay national team throughout their delay and worked alongside airport and operational partners to help expedite the process and minimise disruption to the team’s travel arrangements.” This is not the first time Bielsa has been embroiled in a logistical issue concerning a side under his management. He was critical of the 2024 CONMEBOL Copa América, which took place in the United States, arguing that the planning and organisation fell well short of what was promised. “They do press conferences and say ‘No, the fields are perfect, the training pitches are perfect.’… I have all the photos that show that these are all lies,” Bielsa said at the time. “The United States, I’ll remind you, when they felt their interests were being attacked, they created FIFAGate. With the FBI. They did what they did, but it was for their interests.”
As the tournament gets under way – the first with 48 nations competing across the United States, Canada and Mexico – BBC Sport has launched a host of new features on its app to allow fans to enjoy the World Cup “like never before”. From live match updates on the lock screen to a 3D match experience, the app aims to provide immersive coverage. The 3D experience, powered by technology from Immersiv.io, will launch for host nation Canada’s first match against Bosnia & Herzegovina on Friday, 12 June at 20:00 BST, allowing fans to watch live matches, replays and highlights with complete control, including picking angles and reliving goals from a player’s point of view. Fans can also enter a predictor game, with a prize draw for an official World Cup football signed by members of the BBC World Cup team, and daily quizzes and a “Guess the World Cup Star” game are also available.
“Uruguay's plane denied entry to US hours before World Cup opener as BBC Sport launches new app features.”