Saudi Arabia Hold Uruguay to Valuable Draw as Group H Opens Wide

By Tahani Elghazaly
Published June 16, 2026

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Saudi Arabia opened their 2026 World Cup campaign with a valuable 1-1 draw against Uruguay in Miami on Monday, June 15. Reuters reported that Abdulelah Al Amri gave Saudi Arabia the lead in the 41st minute before Maxi Araujo equalized for Uruguay in the second half.

The result gives Saudi Arabia an important point against one of South America’s most experienced teams. More importantly, it keeps the Saudis firmly in the qualification race after the first round, rather than leaving them under immediate pressure.

The draw also matched the wider mood of Group H. Earlier, Cape Verde stunned European champions Spain with a 0-0 draw in their World Cup debut, leaving all four teams in the group level on one point after the opening matches.

Saudi Arabia’s next match will be against Spain on June 21, according to FIFA’s official match page. That game now carries extra weight for both sides, especially after Spain failed to beat Cape Verde in its opener.

For Saudi Arabia, this was not a win, but it was a strong and useful start. The point against Uruguay gives the team confidence, keeps Group H open, and sets up a crucial second-round match against Spain.