The Uruguay men’s team appeared to face another security hurdle when arriving in Miami for their opening match of the FIFA World Cup, having already had their flight from Mexico to the U.S. severely delayed by apparent paperwork issues.
A video, which made its way onto social media on Monday, claimed to show the team held outside their bus—as they were preparing to take on Saudi Arabia at Miami Stadium—while security officers and sniffer dogs carefully inspect their luggage.
Many of the players are smiling while others, like Manchester United midfielder Manuel Ugarte, seem stern.
While the exact location and time the video was shot are not clear from the footage, several recognizable players from the team—such as the blue-haired Ronald Araújo—can be seen during the security stop, and are dressed in the same outfits shown on broadcasts just before the match began.
Newsweek has contacted the Uruguayan Football Association for comment on the incident and the delays in their travel schedule.
The team, which went on to draw 1-1 against Saudi Arabia, had already encountered problems while trying to make their way to the U.S.
The squad was due to fly from Cancún, near their training base in Playa del Carmen, to Fort Lauderdale on Sunday afternoon. But their departure was halted due to administrative issues—the FIFA-provided flight reportedly lacked the required paperwork—leaving the players stranded in Mexico as their replacement flight also faced delays.
A spokesperson for the team told The Athletic that the delay was FIFA’s fault, while FIFA blamed it on an “an airline permitting issue.”
“Due to an airline permitting error in Mexico, the Uruguay national team’s departure from Cancun to Miami was delayed. The airline has apologized for the inconvenience caused,” the organization said in a statement. “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 minimize disruption to the team’s travel arrangements.”
This is a developing story. More to come.
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