Uruguay Denied US Entry Day Before World Cup Opener

He joined in April 2024, having previously worked at VAVEL as Deputy Editor-in-Chief, where he produced a variety of content, including pieces from press conferences and games. He also won an award for his role as lead editor for the Women's Football section of the online newspaper.

Covering football all across Europe, he has worked at stadiums such as Anfield, Old Trafford, and Dortmund's Signal Iduna Park, as well as having reported at both the 2023 men's and women's Champions League finals in Eindhoven and Istanbul.

He is infatuated with every aspect of football, but likes other sports as well, being an avid coffee-desperate Buffalo Bills supporter from across the pond and a darts' newbie. Sign in to your GiveMeSport account A World Cup nation's team plane has been denied entry into the US the night before they are due to get their tournament underway, with delays threatening to derail their final preparations.

The situation has been described as chaos among local journalists, with more issues raised in an opening week that has been defined by players, coaches, staff and referees struggling to get beyond strict border control.

The idea that Donald Trump was congratulated ahead of the USA, Canada and Mexico showpiece event, and handed the inaugural FIFA 'Peace Prize', in Gianni Infantino’s insistence that the country would "welcome everyone" over the summer, is now laughable. And the latest issue to arise has put the affected nation at risk of receiving a hefty fine.

The UEFA president has been made ot eat his own words ahead of this summer's tournament in the USA, Canada, and Mexico.

As reported by Romain Molina - a journalist who has previously worked for the BBC, The Guardian, and the New York Times - Uruguay's team plane has been left stranded in Mexico due to missing documents ahead of their flight to Miami, where they are scheduled to face Saudi Arabia in Group H tomorrow night. He wrote on X:

"New organizational disaster: The Uruguayan national team's plane wasn't allowed to head to the United States due to administrative issues (some documents are apparently missing), even though they play tomorrow in Miami against Saudi Arabia. A new flight is set to take off in a few hours.

"But it's total chaos between the Federation and FIFA as well, since the head coach, Marcelo Bielsa's press conference is at risk of being cancelled at this rate (which would turn into a fine). One question: how did no one notice BEFORE that there was an administrative issue?"

It is being reported by some unconfirmed sources that FIFA are at fault for what is expected to be a three-hour delay. That would mean Uruguay's press conference will be cancelled, while they are not set to arrive until later in the night.