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Saudi Arabia and Uruguay will start their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaigns this evening, when they meet at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami in the opening round of Group H.
With Spain widely considered strong favorites in the group, the battle for the remaining qualification spots remains open, a good start all the more important for both sides.
Match details:
Fixture: Saudi Arabia vs Uruguay
Competition: FIFA World Cup 2026, Group H
Date: Monday, June 15
Time: 11:00 p.m. Local Time
Kick-off: To be confirmed
How to watch: beIN Sports, FOX Sports, ARD, ZDF
Saudi Arabia team news:
Saudi Arabia arrive at the tournament for their seventh World Cup appearance and third in a row, still chasing their second-ever qualification to the knockout rounds after 1994.
The Green Falcons had a mixed build-up; they managed to beat Puerto Rico 3-0, lost 2-1 to Ecuador, and went to a goalless draw in their final warm-up against Senegal. Not perfect, but enough to suggest they are good to go into the opener. With the expansion of the competition to 48 teams, Saudi will fight for a chance to extend their stay in North America this summer.
They still carry that 2022 moment in Qatar when they stunned Argentina, a result that reminded everyone they can cause problems on the big stage, even if they still exited in the group stage.
Georgios Donis’ side are expected to stick with Mohammed Al-Owais in goal due to Nawaf Al-Aqidi’s muscle injury, a key absence for them heading into a game like this.
Up front, all eyes are on Salem Al-Dawsari. The captain, leader and main threat, Firas Al-Buraikan is expected to lead the line as Saudi Arabia look to cause an upset again.
Uruguay team news:
Uruguay, meanwhile, arrive with their usual World Cup pedigree. Two-time champions in 1930 and 1950, and still a team that carries serious respect on the global stage. However, after making the quarter-finals in 2018, they suffered a devastating group-stage exit four years later in Qatar.
La Celeste head into the tournament after a poor run of preparations. They drew with England and Algeria in March and haven’t played a warm-up match since; Coach Bielsa preferred to follow a training camp approach instead.
The issue for Uruguay is the injury list. Ronald Araujo, Jose Gimenez and Giorgian de Arrascaeta are all expected to miss out, while Sebastian Caceres and Matias Vina remain doubts. That’s a lot of missing pieces at the back. There is quality all over the pitch though; Federico Valverde is the main man in midfield, supported by Rodrigo Bentancur and Man Utd’s Manuel Ugarte, while Darwin Nunez leads the upfront and carries the goal threat.
Historically, there’s not much to separate them. Saudi Arabia and Uruguay have met three times before, with both sides winning once each. Their last World Cup meeting came in 2018, when Uruguay edged it 1-0.
Saudi Arabia knows a point here would already be a solid start in a group where Spain are the clear favourites to finish top, but second place is wide open.
Uruguay, on the other hand, will feel this is a must-win type of opener. With Cape Verde coming next, Bielsa’s men will want to control the group early.
Expected lineups:
Saudi Arabia: Al-Owais; Abdulhamid, Al-Tambakti, Lajami, Al-Shehri, Kanno, Al-Khaibari; Nasser Al-Dawsari, Al-Juwayr, Salem Al-Dawsari; Al-Buraikan.
Uruguay: Muslera; Varela, Caceres, Bueno, Olivera; Valverde, Ugarte, Bentancur; M. Araujo, Viñas, Nunez.
A tight opener on paper, and in games like this, one moment of quality can flip the whole group. With a promised battle with Spain on the horizon, a win is a must for both sides this Monday night.
