Uruguay's charter flight home canceled after group-stage exit, players left to fend for themselves

Uruguay's national football team, eliminated in the group stage of the 2026 North America World Cup, had its charter flight home canceled, leaving players to make their own way back.

According to Spanish outlet Marca and other foreign media Sunday, the Uruguayan Football Association canceled a chartered flight it had booked to transport the squad from their base camp in Mexico to the capital Montevideo. Players must now return individually to their club teams or travel to Uruguay on their own for vacation, rather than flying home together.

Marca described the move as "a reflection of the shock of being eliminated from the World Cup earlier than expected."

Uruguay was drawn into Group H alongside Spain, Cape Verde and Saudi Arabia. Considered one of the group's top two contenders alongside Spain, the team stumbled to back-to-back draws — first against Saudi Arabia, then against Cape Verde — in what amounted to one of the worst tournament performances in the country's history.

A 0-1 loss to Spain in their final group match left Uruguay with two draws and a loss for two points, finishing third in the group. They were eliminated after failing to advance as one of the better third-place finishers across all groups.

Coach Marcelo Bielsa told reporters after the match that he had "left nothing for Uruguayan football." Reports of a rift between Bielsa and key players have also surfaced, with his resignation now considered likely.

Meanwhile, South Korea's national team is scheduled to return home through Incheon International Airport on Tuesday morning. According to the Korea Football Association, no official homecoming ceremony is planned.

The squad under coach Hong Myung-bo will arrive without any welcoming event — the first time in history that a South Korean team has returned from an away World Cup without one.