Saudi Arabia began their 2026 World Cup campaign with a 1-1 draw against Uruguay at Hard Rock Stadium on Monday, leaving both sides level on one point in Group H alongside Spain and Cape Verde.
The match opened at pace. Uruguay’s Fede Viña tested Saudi goalkeeper Mohammed Al-Owais with a header in the seventh minute, and Salem Al-Dawsari sent a firm shot from outside the box wide of the right post in the 18th minute after a pass from Musab Al-Juwayr.
Uruguay pressed for the opener but Al-Owais kept them out through the first half. Saudi Arabia came closest in the 37th minute through a long-range effort that the goalkeeper saved, before Abdulilah Al-Amri broke the deadlock in the 41st minute, following up on a rebound off the Uruguayan keeper to give the Saudis the lead at the break.
Uruguay came out with greater urgency in the second half. Al-Owais denied a powerful Fede Valverde strike in the 68th minute as Saudi Arabia sat deeper to protect their lead. The equaliser arrived in the 80th minute when Maxi Araujo converted to make it 1-1.
Both sides pushed for a winner in the closing stages without success.
Saudi Arabia lined up with Mohammed Al-Owais in goal; Saud Abdulhamid, Hassan Tambakti, Abdulilah Al-Amri and Mutaeb Al-Harbi in defence; Nasser Al-Dawsari, Abdullah Al-Khaibri, Mohammed Abou Al-Shamat, Musab Al-Juwayr and Salem Al-Dawsari in midfield; Firas Al-Buraikan up front.
Uruguay fielded Fernando Muslera; Mathias Viña, Mathias Olivera, Sebastian Caceres and Guillermo Varela at the back; Manuel Ugarte, Rodrigo Bentancur and Fede Valverde in the middle; Maxi Araujo, Fede Viña and Darwin Nunez in attack.
