Uruguay federation reportedly cancels charter flight home, has players fly commercial after elimination

[u/Forward_Increase4672]

https://sports.yahoo.com/article/world-cup-2026-uruguay-federation-reportedly-cancels-charter-flight-home-has-players-fly-commercial-after-elimination-231056137.html

Wow this is incredibly humiliating and a slap in the face to these players that worked so hard to get to the World Cup. Doesn’t matter the pedigree of the program, this is sinister.

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[u/markus0401]

Coffee is for closers

[u/haysu-christo → u/markus0401]

But the leads are no good!

[u/Custrdw4lrus → u/haysu-christo]

“You wanna know what my name is? FUCK YOU THATS WHAT MY NAME IS”

[u/bearsfan0143 → u/markus0401]

Strawberry daiquiris are for closers!

[u/getdizcookiez]

This /is/ petty but after seeing their performance and behavior last night, i can’t say my sympathy for them stretches that far. Uruguay has cultivated a very specific reputation at these tournaments but even their tantrums and dangerous play yesterday was far beyond what I’ve come to expect from this team.

[u/Commercial_Age_9316 → u/getdizcookiez]

Every contest needs a heel

[u/DrGarrious → u/Commercial_Age_9316]

That's what England is for haha.

[u/nitebusnitebus → u/getdizcookiez]

Canobbio deserves to rowboat home

[u/Andurilmage]

Honestly, Canobbio embarassed them on the world stage kind of like Jaws a few years ago. I'd have made them take the bus.

[u/counterfitster → u/Andurilmage]

They'd have to walk through the Darien Gap. Probably deserved.

[u/LukeDies → u/Andurilmage]

Imagine him yelling at airport staff

[u/Andurilmage → u/LukeDies]

TSA : You sir....you are going to get the rubber glove treatment

[u/saint_godzilla]

What does it say about flying commercially that it's being used as a punishment?

[u/LeopardMajor984 → u/saint_godzilla]

Exactly.

[u/theaviationhistorian → u/saint_godzilla]

The question is that is FIFA or the government covering the costs? Because booking flights within less than a week gets expensive. And not everyone is Valverde, especially the staff.

It's as cruel as airlines cancelling flights without immediate refunds

[u/ChangingShips]

It would have been an awkward plane ride, but also, don't most of these players live outside of Uruguay, whats the point of a charter back to Uruguay.

[u/Party-Environment-62 → u/ChangingShips]

Yeah I wonder if that's a big part of it. Maybe the point of the team flight back home was for some kind of homecoming celebration on arrival in Uruguay. If that's not happening now (either because of the fans, the federation, or the players) no reason to have a team flight. Most won't be going to Uruguay at all.

[u/Ted_DibiaseSF]

Are we sure this is meant to send a message? Maybe enough players expressed that they'd be staying to watch or vacation that they decided it was a waste of a flight?

[u/workintx]

Ice cream is for winners. Especially private jet ice cream.

[u/ZAWS20XX]

having to fly commercial is no big deal, but they're actually putting muslera on a no-fly list and making him walk back home

[u/JiffKewneye-n]

minor upgrade from executing players

[u/docowen]

Not the worst thing that has ever happened to a defeated South American player.

[u/No_Shake_169 → u/docowen]

Andrés Escobar. Never forget

[u/PraetorOjoalvirus]

Of course nobody here bothered to read the source article for the link above. The Federation didn't cancel anything; the players were liberated to go freely to wherever they choose to go, now that they aren't bound by any other obligation for the time being, and are now on vacation.

[u/Fach-All-Religions → u/PraetorOjoalvirus]

classic clickbait. downvote this shit

[u/stirrainlate]

The culture of pettiness and finger pointing starts at the top.

[u/TejasChainsawMascara → u/stirrainlate]

Suarez is chief petty officer.

[u/lanternfly_carcass]

Send them to Cancun!

[u/HeavyHands → u/lanternfly_carcass]

Galveston.

[u/elissa24 → u/HeavyHands]

Feed them churros

[u/pilfro]

At least Uday Hussein isn't waiting at the runway.

[u/SneakyGandalf12 → u/pilfro]

I went down a rabbit hole one night about him, and good lord I wasn’t ready. I would absolutely have faked an injury to avoid playing for him.

[u/TheNoodler98 → u/SneakyGandalf12]

Bro’s was a far cry villain irl

[u/stacity]

One of us! One of us!

[u/kbell58]

That’s low down

[u/jpocosta01]

This was denied over and over by the federation. There were no plans for a chartered flight back because many players do not live in Uruguay and would fly back home

[u/jjb0ne]

theyre all flying home to their penthouses in Europe

[u/upstatenyusa]

The players (Canobbio and others) embarrassed an entire nation with the unsportsmanlike behavior as they were eliminated. They should pay for their own airfare. That’s not a way to represent.

[u/Whitetiger9876 → u/upstatenyusa]

I didn't see the game. Was it that bad?

[u/Old_Lobster_7833 → u/Whitetiger9876]

A lot of people will focus on his conduct near the end (red card) but he was pretty reckless all match. When the match was in reach — fine — but at the end he followed through on a tackle that he had no business in making. This was already after the game got a bit heated.

THEN he doubled down on all of it and went after Spanish players, line judges, refs. He was out of control.

[u/Old_Lobster_7833 → u/[deleted]]

I think it’s just a South American style of game, historically, at least. You’d be remiss if you didn’t see a lot of that style.

[u/quacainia → u/Old_Lobster_7833]

He easily could have had two yellows well before the red

[u/Astre2 → u/Old_Lobster_7833]

I watched the tackle, and it was just so unneccessary. A simple clearance from the midfield and he goes in cleats up two footed. It was like he was looking for a fight

[u/StruggleInner6685 → u/Whitetiger9876]

Yes

[u/MollyRolls → u/Whitetiger9876]

Yes

[u/AncestralSpirit → u/Whitetiger9876]

I didn’t watch the game, what did he do?

[u/MMARapFooty → u/Whitetiger9876]

Yep

[u/Wanderer9500 → u/upstatenyusa]

I don’t think enough people are focusing on this. Their behavior, especially Canobbio) was pretty disgraceful. I’d hope it was more about their conduct than their performance.

[u/Wanderer9500 → u/[deleted]]

It was very hard to watch, just chaos at one point. And I’m pretty sure he put his hands on the ref more than once. They deserved to lose the charter.

[u/Lower-Reality7895 → u/upstatenyusa]

That was a pretty average game for them. They have been dirty for as long as I can remember and am 40

[u/nitebusnitebus → u/Lower-Reality7895]

right? like this is the country that gave us Suarez lol

[u/Unlikely_Good7733]

Uruguay has been a shit show the entire tournament. Hell, even before they arrived with the paperwork issues they had and arrived late, etc.

Icing on the cake was injuring Pino and Williams with late game fouls last night (ref sucked all night and gave no yellows on either foul) and then chasing the officials after the game for finally delivering a red card. Coach yelling at reporters.

Canceling flights for the players seems very on brand for Uruguay at the moment.

[u/Dmbfantomas]

Holy shit they got Lane Kiffin’d.

[u/WillingnessReady6870 → u/Dmbfantomas]

nice futbol to football reference there

[u/BigBootyBro93 → u/WillingnessReady6870]

No one here is going to understand this. But I'm rooting for America to win the super bowl. Lets go red white and blue.

[u/counterfitster → u/BigBootyBro93]

Pats it is!

[u/Iamabrewer]

"ok, fine." Flys back to the country where they live and play domestically.

[u/_Lucille_]

Not sure if that is true or not, there will be support staff and equipment they will need to ship and at that scale it is just easier to have a chartered flight than to handle the logistics last minute.

[u/LeviAsmodeus]

I like to think all the equipment and supplies still got the charter and only the people got told to fuck off to terminal 7

[u/Rothko28]

Sinister? LOL

[u/vacationmindset]

They probably wanted to stay and watch games.

[u/MetikMas]

That sucks for all of the staff and trainers. Hopefully they aren’t completely on their own with the equipment

[u/McChubs101 → u/MetikMas]

I would donate all that shit to the nearest soccer program.

Cancel my flight, bet!

[u/New-Use4969]

I can think of some Koreans who would be thinking 'why didn't we think of this?'

[u/Upstairs-Radish1816]

Well I think this is pretty childish behavior, at least they're flying home and not having to take a bus.

[u/Empty_Wallaby5481 → u/Upstairs-Radish1816]

Did you see what Gabon did after failing to qualify? This is nothing compared to that. 

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/cn56z2ye7nro

[u/IvyGold → u/Empty_Wallaby5481]

You don't want to know what Saddam Hussein's son did to underperfomrng Iraqi players

[u/scambush]

France made their team fly back from South Africa in Economy class after their debacle, so I'd say this is pretty on par given Uruguay's attitude.

[u/Hairy-Football-3826 → u/scambush]

I remember that in 2010. French team going on strike in the middle of the world cup was so fucking French.

[u/gurudoright]

I remember Uruguayan playing Australia in 2005 in a playoff for the last spot at 2006. One of the Uruguayan players, Recoba, stating pre-game that Uruguay had a god Devine right to play at the World Cup. They ended up losing in a penalty shootout. That kind of arrogance is never good

[u/Broad-Lobster7470]

Savage

[u/Impossible_Pen_9459]

That saudi arabia result was brutal on them

[u/fimparatta]

they didn’t want to come back to uruguay, straight to wherever the hell they live and play

[u/_BreadDenier]

Why would anyone play for their country if they treat their players so poorly if they don’t get results?

Seems like many countries will naturalize players if they are good

[u/Poupulino → u/_BreadDenier]

I don't think it's about mistreatment but more about avoiding even more drama and conflict if all the rumors about the locker room fights are true.

[u/Yeah-Reality-bites → u/Poupulino]

Uhh, tell me more. I didn’t hear about that locker room drama

[u/theaviationhistorian → u/Poupulino]

I did not know that! Instead of the crap some are saying on this thread, this context would change everything about how this decision is seen!

Your comment should be in the top of this thread.

[u/Silverleaf_Unicorn]

Bruh. Even being in the WC is honestly massive, can't believe people turn sour so quick on their players. They should be proud they were there!

[u/basedspacecowboy → u/Silverleaf_Unicorn]

Uruguay is an extremely proud football nation , simply going to the cup is not considered an accomplishment there .

[u/Smart_Illustrator_45 → u/basedspacecowboy]

Proud for what? You can be proud and respectful lol

[u/ALA02 → u/Silverleaf_Unicorn]

Uruguay being at the world cup alone isn’t a proud achievement, they’re expected to be there. Going out in the group stage is embarassing for them.

[u/Aggravating_Ship5513]

They take football VERY seriously. I probably wouldn't be going out in public for a while if I was associated with the national team. 

[u/Drezzrod]

That article has been pulled from tenfield. Perhaps it was falsely reported.

[u/Famous_Amount3505]

Sitting next to Suarez in economy while he bites the seatback in front of him would be a fitting punishment.

[u/UOO_Ky → u/Famous_Amount3505]

Suarez wasn't on the team.

[u/TallThing6233]

They not only finish third, but they are also the worst third team of the tournament, 36 out of 48 teams.

[u/DivineAlmond]

this happens in Turkey in some capacity rather routinely, if an underperforming "big 4" team loses to a farmers club there is a very high chance they will be forced to take the bus home and not fly back for example

[u/lastrit3s]

Just don’t take away their yerba mate

[u/MagasRtrans]

Basic economy. They have to pay for their own checked bags

[u/orswich]

This cold as hell..

Fly them home and let them explain to the fans what happened

[u/SharkCatDogy]

Gone fishing. Winners get ice cream.

[u/xXBadger89Xx]

Insanely petty to the point it’s embarrassing

[u/Plg_Rex]

National soccer federations can be so petty, vindictive and unhinged lol. They were mad dirty, so it couldn’t have happened to a better group of guys

[u/verysimplenames]

I think it’s utterly ridiculous that they would switch up the team’s arrangements at the last minute.

[u/jackenbu2]

I hear Canobbio had to convince a local farm boy to sell the family speeder in order to get back

[u/cory_wurst]

Sit in coach and think about what you did!

[u/phiupan]

Why did they cancel the flight? Was it already planned to have a return flight after the first round?

[u/add2thepile]

Defect!

[u/Flatulentchupacabra]

Probably so it wont turn into brawl airlines

[u/Williamtell9000 → u/Flatulentchupacabra]

That's why they should book a United Airlines flight for the team instead. A flight with entertainment the audience can participate!

[u/Shafter111]

Football brings the worst out of government.

Mind you, they would take full credit if they went far.

[u/raidhse-abundance-01]

At this point I would think twice before flying back... that might be just the beginning of a whole lot of (unwarranted) harassment for them.

[u/AppearanceDizzy7006]

Hopefully their supporters spit on them when they arrive in Uraguay, like when we went and played there 

[u/DResq → u/AppearanceDizzy7006]

The Australian players were spit on in Uruguay?

[u/AppearanceDizzy7006 → u/DResq]

https://www.abc.net.au/pm/archive/articles/2001/11/22/s423431.htm

[u/SilentSpader → u/AppearanceDizzy7006]

At least they didn't bite like Suarez used to do

[u/AppearanceDizzy7006 → u/SilentSpader]

They were punched at the airport as well mate - vile fucking creatures 

[u/SilentSpader → u/AppearanceDizzy7006]

Well that sucks... too many sports fans are uncivilized people

[u/-Jesus-Of-Nazareth-]

Good. With their nasty gameplay, the coach yelling at reporters and barely answering any questions, blaming each other (Or the field). Yeah they can help themselves if they're going to continue being pieces of shit manchildren. Give them 2 more stars before they throw a bigger tantrum

[u/adnaPadnamA → u/-Jesus-Of-Nazareth-]

Maybe that behaviour, along with how the team is treated with the cancellation of their charter flight, Fifa should disqualify them from next world cup match. Maybe they'll learn to respect the World Cup, and their players.

[u/eurtoast]

Remember: they're playing the opening match of 2030 in Montevideo for the 100 year anniversary of the world cup. Will the federation fly them to the Iberian peninsula after that performance?

[u/Sea-Independence7026 → u/eurtoast]

Depends on if he's Iberian Peninsula will allow a crappy team to land there.

[u/Wesleypipes316]

It could be worse. Thankfully they’re not North Korea.

[u/DianaPrince0809 → u/[deleted]]

This is horrible.

[u/6_Paths → u/DianaPrince0809]

great thing he's long gone and deservedly burning in eternal hell now.

[u/Ok-Yogurtcloset1576 → u/Wesleypipes316]

What do you mean? They won the World Cup 26

[u/TejasChainsawMascara]

The players acted like spoiled children.

EDIT: The one person who won't care is Bielsa, which is funny.

[u/chasedsteeple]

Pretty sure every national football organization has corruption and does incredibly unsavory things...it's just that you don't hear about it.

[u/lostwisdom20]

Haha its same as fining cricket team cause they lost to their rivals

[u/The-Oyster-Man]

What we can read...

It's just a fly. They survived... Nothing to see here.

[u/gratefulheart4]

This is very petty and so wrong. Qualifying for the world cup is huge.

[u/leavingishard1 → u/gratefulheart4]

It's the bare minimum expectation for Uruguay though. They are not a minor footballing nation

[u/Commercial_Age_9316 → u/leavingishard1]

Petty players, petty organization, we love to see it

[u/LordHeadcheez → u/gratefulheart4]

This is the same country that puts two extra stars on their jersey because they count the Olympic Gold as a World Cup win. Petty is their middle name.

[u/briggsm48 → u/gratefulheart4]

Are you unfamiliar with Uruguays pedigree as a footballing nation? 2 time world cup champions, 4 time champions of the world. 15 time champion of south america (brazil have 9). they're not what they once were, but no Uruguayan is "just happy to be there" or "proud they qualified". Especially not the players. They should be completely capable of making the quarter finals, semis, or with a miracle winning the whole thing. They wont mind the first class seats home, or the private jets they charter themselves. Call it petty, but all their players are millionaires, or deca or centi millionaires. Its not like they hung them out to dry with ryanair flights home. going out in a group with cape verde and saudi arabia, where 66% of 3rd place teams progress is abysmal for Uruguay. Unimaginable even.

[u/jxx37 → u/gratefulheart4]

Also, don’t cancel flights based on deciding at the last minute if their performance was good or not. It is highly unprofessional, like hiring a surgeon and deciding to downgrade their tickets if the results of a cosmetic procedure don’t meet your expectations.

It will not help future performance (North Koreans players performance would not improve if you threatened to shoot them for defeats) and only encouraging top players to avoid the National team.

[u/multiplesof3]

Ah yes that will certainly make them play better in 4 years 😂

[u/PresidentKarim]

Some dudes fly home like the rest of us, how is that sinister lmao.

[u/MaryPaku → u/PresidentKarim]

It accomplishes nothing but to humiliate them. Or so they really dumb enough to think that would motivate anyone to fight for the country next world cup?

[u/unknown_soldier_]

They should be forced to travel by boat home

Rowboats that they have to row themselves

[u/HanS0lPurr → u/unknown_soldier_]

Thats what korea says about Hong too lmao

[u/Unique-Luck6771]

Hate this team , good for them for losing

[u/Personal_Good_5013]

I think this kind of thing contributes to players and teams underperforming - how can you play with joy and heart and confidence when you know your fans and your federation are ready to tear you apart in a heartbeat, with one little slip, at any sign of weakness. “Oh shit we better not lose” is no recipe for success. 

[u/Professional_Top9835 → u/Personal_Good_5013]

Mexican players tweeted something similar a few months ago, justifying their preference for US-based matches, where they enjoy support from the local population compared to the extreme "pesimism" and "agressiveness" of Mexican fans

[u/XAMdG → u/Personal_Good_5013]

with one little slip,

With like 5 little slips.

[u/TejasChainsawMascara → u/XAMdG]

They also rallied around their washed former striker Suarez who wasn't even on their squad instead of their coach. Ridiculous behavior by professionals.

[u/TejasChainsawMascara → u/Personal_Good_5013]

Maybe the players should have gotten with the program and just done what their manager asked without staging a childish rebellion.

[u/SuccessfulFarmer9595]

Oh shit a bunch of millionaires travelling with general public how sinister 🫪

[u/jjb0ne → u/SuccessfulFarmer9595]

ha. exactly. and i bet most them are flying to europe…where they live

[u/Active_Lettuce325]

What's next? Public flogging?

They did their BEST.

[u/uptiedand8 → u/Active_Lettuce325]

Luckily Uruguay is a progressive and democratically run country judging from what I’ve read on it- but for countries that are more authoritarian, I always worry that some Uday Hussein type of person is waiting back home to punish the players if they don’t perform well enough for his liking.

They shouldn’t have cancelled the charter flight though, that’s messed up (even though way milder than what Uday did to Iraq’s players obviously).

Stuff like this sucks the joy out of the WC.

[u/Sardina-Sangrienta → u/Active_Lettuce325]

XD

[u/PuppiesandRainbows5 → u/Active_Lettuce325]

They did something, that is for sure. Very talented team to say the least

[u/themikegman]

Lol.

[u/LegitimateFootball47]

The last time the US hosted the World Cup a player from Colombia was murdered after the team was eliminated in the group stage so this seems like progress for the South American teams.

[u/Forward_Increase4672 → u/LegitimateFootball47]

That was a drug lord. This is a federation. Fortunately it’s not murder, but the decision makers in this scenario is utterly humiliating imo

[u/RuckFeddi7 → u/LegitimateFootball47]

No, the guy scored an own goal lol... Not saying this was right but you are undermining the situation

[u/Commercial_Age_9316 → u/LegitimateFootball47]

I wouldn’t speak so soon…

[u/Federal_Audience2304 → u/Commercial_Age_9316]

Muslera on suicide watch...

[u/TrueCook]

Trashy team plays dirty… well deserved

[u/OKeoz4w2 → u/TrueCook]

Yea, they are not missed… It’s crazy how quickly they turn their PR from loved SA team to this.

[u/True_Shake2216]

None of them probably wants to go back Uruguay anyways

[u/Key_Garbage8053]

*2 ⭐️

[u/random_fucktuation → u/[deleted]]

I will never forgive Suarez for what he did to Ghana in 2010

[u/AdPatient2578 → u/[deleted]]

La tenés adentro

[u/Gloomy-Lawyer4989 → u/[deleted]]

Nothing fake about the stars but yes dirty team

[u/ImKawaiiAf]

honestly pretty valid. if they wanna play like bums they should be treated as such

[u/NorthBook1383]

Hahahhahah. Don’t feel bad, they were one of the teams that constantly played dirty. Welcome to our commercial flying, boys. You’re in great company

[u/chuchofreeman]

Deserved

[u/PToN_rM → u/chuchofreeman]

You lose, you fly back in coach… for 10 hours

[u/MotoGuzziGuy]

Totally petty.

[u/DaKingaDaNorth]

Uruguay federation just doubling down

[u/RevolutionaryRun4867]

Make them walk 

[u/OuttaD00r]

If i was any one of those big/semi-big name players (Valverde, Ugarte, Bentancur, Araujo, Gimenez, Nunez) i'd never play for that fuck ass team again. Immediate national team retirement or play for another national team if eligible after this. Fucking disgraceful

[u/mayito35 → u/OuttaD00r]

Can't play for another country once you play for one.

[u/Alt-Ctrl]

I'd be petty enough to never play for my country again. 

[u/thexet → u/Alt-Ctrl]

I mean, if you tie with Cape Verde and Saudi Arabia can you really say you played in the first place?

[u/Rhyff → u/thexet]

Tieing with Cabo Verde seems to be a win at this point

[u/PowerfulRaisin → u/thexet]

Ask Spain and Argentina. Oh no actually Argentina lost to the Saudis last time before winning the whole thing, it was not a tie.

[u/JuliusBacchus → u/thexet]

Even if Uruguay’s team isn’t what it used to be, it is quite a shameful performance to be honest

[u/ZAWS20XX → u/Alt-Ctrl]

If you were playing in the team that got wiped out like this, they might be happy that they don't have to deal with you anymore

[u/K31KT3]

The players should be grateful it’s not a bus ticket 

[u/qwertyqyle → u/K31KT3]

Have them trek through the Darien Gap to transfer busses.

[u/ChemicalResident3557]

So everyone in the organization is abusive.

[u/Clean-Solid-3424]

Enter: Pay to Play

[u/Gr0ggy1]

Is it a punishment or for their safety?

[u/unamity1]

nothing wrong with commercial boys. they just normal ppl like u and me. my job doesn't pay for me to fly first or business class.

[u/nowenknows → u/unamity1]

Are you in the top 20 best in your country at your job?

[u/Conscious_Moment_727]

It's because of shit like this that they didn't go through the knock-out stage.  Allow me to elaborate, winning the word cup is not really a stroke of luck.  Obviously you have to have money to fund the meals, physiotherapists, nutritionists, the psychiatrists for the players mental health serious etc.  Competent people at the top of the federation who will make the right decisions and always act in favor of the team and players benefits. A good coach who is experienced, wise. A good atmosphere between the players : respect, understanding, banter. Support from the fans all over the country and media, without putting too much pressure on the players to the point where you create a climate of anxiety and toxicity. And that's exluding other parameters. I'm sure that's not the first time the uruguayan federation does crazy shit like that, and from what I've seen the fans are not much better, not that I would know.  Therefore we can assume that the atmosphere for this world cup was paralyzing for the players.  I'm sure that when you're playing a word cup, you'd want to be in your best spirits and have support from your teammates, your coach, the staff, your countrymates and have a well organized training, game plan. And you would want to be assured that your federation is a well maintained national football institution, full of knowledgeable people who will always put the needs of the team first to chase the win. Every things like that go into winning a WC, and other stuff...

[u/PM_ME_CORONA → u/Conscious_Moment_727]

Can I introduce you to the paragraph?

[u/Endworldpeace]

Probably justify the cancelling in order to pay the incoming fines

[u/Dazzling_Spinach1926]

Lol. Like taking away privilege is a punishment. Walking home... now THAT would count as punishment.

[u/Aromatic_Idea_5340]

They deserved it.

[u/Comedyfish_reddit]

I honestly don’t see a problem.

It’s like any job.

Underperform you don’t get rewarded.

They can afford to fly better if they want I’m sure

[u/mvrco_007]

Good for them.

[u/PipecleanerFanatic]

Did Tom Dundon buy Uruguay too?

[u/l3schigta]

Commercial? Damn peseants