Uruguay were rescued from an embarrassing defeat against Saudi Arabia — first by a late equaliser and then by a controversial early whistle from the referee.
Maxi Araujo struck in the 80th minute to salvage a point for the South Americans in Miami.
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Uruguay piled on the pressure against their Group H rivals after going behind before the break.
They nearly suffered a dramatic late setback in stoppage time, only for the referee to intervene. The match official appeared to end the game just as Saudi Arabia looked set to launch a dangerous counterattack that could have secured a memorable World Cup victory.
One fan posted: “Saudi Arabia were through on goal there – what a terrible time to blow the whistle.”
Absolutely ridiculous decision. I’d be furious if I was Saudi Arabia. pic.twitter.com/r3d6xY2wMD https://t.co/xg8UND0oYm
— S🕊️🇸🇪 (@8bdrssss) June 16, 2026
Another said: “OMG why did he blow the final whistle Saudi were through on goal.”
While a third posted: “Saudi Arabia would’ve been through if he didn’t blow the whistle there wouldn’t they?”
Just before kick-off, FIFA’s website showed only seven tickets remaining for the Group H encounter, despite numerous empty seats being visible around the stadium.
The announced attendance was 62,764 at the 64,478-capacity stadium belonging to the NFL’s Miami Dolphins.
Fifa maintained that the venue was close to full capacity, despite noticeable gaps in several sections of the crowd.
Saudi Arabia came agonisingly close to securing a famous World Cup victory, holding Marcelo Bielsa’s Uruguay at bay until the 80th minute when Araujo’s vital equaliser ensured the points were shared.
Abdulelah Al Amri gave the Green Falcons the lead in the 41st minute, and another major upset — following Cape Verde’s remarkable victory over European champions Spain earlier in the day — seemed likely until Sporting Lisbon star Araujo capitalised late on.
Bielsa’s often turbulent spell in charge of Uruguay had already cast doubts over the team’s preparations, and this underwhelming display is likely to increase the scrutiny on the 70-year-old coach.
The South Americans return to the same venue on Sunday to face Cape Verde and will need a much-improved performance if they are to avoid an early departure from the tournament.
Former Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez was substituted at half-time, while Uruguay’s talisman and Real Madrid captain Federico Valverde struggled to make an impact.
Nunez had not featured in a competitive match since February after falling out of favour in the Saudi Pro League, and the lack of game time was evident.
He appeared short of sharpness, and several of his teammates were similarly below their best. Uruguay arrived for the match after enduring a four-hour delay because their flight from Mexico to Miami lacked documentation required by Fifa.
Bielsa’s men played like a side lacking confidence, having failed to win any of their previous four matches, a run that included a heavy 5-1 loss to the United States last November.
This year’s World Cup promises to be unlike any before it, with a record 48 nations battling for football’s most prestigious trophy.
