To reach the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Uruguay needed a top-six finish in the demanding South American qualifying group, and they did so by placing fourth in the CONMEBOL standings. La Celeste collected 28 points from seven wins, seven draws, and four defeats in one of the toughest qualifying campaigns in world football. They opened with a 3-1 home win over Chile but managed only draws in their next two matches. After a sluggish start, sensational victories over Brazil at home and Argentina away revived their campaign. Their form remained inconsistent through the middle and latter stages, but with fourth place enough to qualify, a home win over Peru and an away draw against Chile on the final day sealed their spot. Darwin Núñez led the team in scoring during qualification with five goals.
The squad is built around established stars such as Federico Valverde, Ronald Araujo, and Fernando Muslera, the latter returning from international retirement for another World Cup. Valverde's experience at the highest levels of European football makes him the central figure of this new Uruguayan generation, while José María Giménez will serve as captain. One of the most notable inclusions is Giorgian De Arrascaeta, who has recovered well enough from a recent injury to claim his place in the final squad.
Among the notable omissions are Luis Suárez and Nahitan Nández.
Uruguay has been drawn into Group H alongside Spain, Saudi Arabia, and Cape Verde. La Celeste begin their World Cup on June 15 against Saudi Arabia at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida. They remain in Miami to face World Cup debutants Cape Verde at the same venue. To close out the group stage, they travel to Guadalajara, Mexico, to take on Spain on June 26 at Akron Stadium.
Uruguay 2026 World Cup Squad:
Goalkeepers: Sergio Rochet (Internacional), Fernando Muslera (Estudiantes), Santiago Mele (Monterrey)
Defenders: Guillermo Varela (Flamengo), Ronald Araújo (Barcelona), José María Giménez (Atlético de Madrid), Santiago Bueno (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Sebastián Cáceres (América), Mathías Olivera (Napoli), Joaquín Piquerez (Palmeiras), Matías Viña (River Plate)
Midfielders: Manuel Ugarte (Manchester United), Emiliano Martínez (Palmeiras), Rodrigo Bentancur (Tottenham Hotspur), Federico Valverde (Real Madrid), Agustín Canobbio (Fluminense), Juan Manuel Sanabria (Real Salt Lake), Giorgian de Arrascaeta (Flamengo), Nicolás de la Cruz (Flamengo), Rodrigo Zalazar (Braga), Facundo Pellistri (Panathinaikos), Maximiliano Araújo (Sporting CP), Brian Rodríguez (América)
Forwards: Rodrigo Aguirre (UANL), Federico Viñas (Real Oviedo), Darwin Núñez (Al-Hilal)
