Uruguay
URU · CONMEBOL
Head Coach
Marcelo Bielsa
Marcelo Bielsa leads Uruguay into the 2026 FIFA World Cup, tasked with guiding the squad through a competitive Group H and beyond. The coaching staff has been preparing tactical approaches tailored to the expanded 48-team tournament format.
Group Stage Venue
Miami
Uruguay will play their group stage matches in Miami. The 2026 World Cup is the first to be hosted across three nations — the United States, Mexico, and Canada — with matches spread across 16 world-class venues.
Squad (23 players)
Goalkeepers
Defenders
Midfielders
Forwards
Recent Form & Current State
Uruguay qualified through CONMEBOL qualification under Marcelo Bielsa. They reached the Copa América 2024 semifinals and boast one of the most talented squads in South America. Federico Valverde and Darwin Núñez form a formidable core.
Form heading into a major tournament is often a key indicator of how far a team can progress. Uruguay, currently ranked #17 in the FIFA World Rankings, will look to carry momentum from their recent qualifying and friendly campaigns into the group stage. Consistency in results and squad cohesion built during the qualification cycle will be vital assets. The CONMEBOLrepresentatives will be eager to demonstrate their quality on the world's biggest stage in 2026.
World Cup History
Uruguay are two-time World Cup champions (1930 and 1950). They won the inaugural tournament as hosts and pulled off the famous Maracanazo in 1950. They have appeared in 14 World Cups and also finished fourth in 2010.
The FIFA World Cup is the pinnacle of international football, and Uruguay's history in the competition provides important context for their 2026 campaign. With the tournament expanding to 48 teams for the first time, every nation faces both new opportunities and new challenges in the revamped group stage format featuring groups of four with the top two advancing to a 32-team knockout round. Uruguay will aim to write a new chapter in their World Cup story at this historic edition of the tournament.
Group H Opponents
Uruguay faces Spain and Saudi Arabia and Cape Verde in Group H. The top two teams from each group advance to the Round of 32. Group dynamics, head-to-head records, and tactical matchups will all play a role in determining which teams progress from this stage.