Saudi Arabia lead Uruguay 1-0 at half-time

The first half of the 2026 FIFA World Cup match between Saudi Arabia and Uruguay ended with a surprise, as Saudi Arabia took a 1-0 lead into the break. In Seattle, Hervé Renard's side managed to go ahead against an Uruguay team that were favourites on paper.

Marcelo Bielsa's Uruguay started with more intent but struggled to break down the Saudi defence. Setting up a disciplined block, Saudi Arabia converted their chance to go in front and headed to the dressing room with the advantage. It was striking that Uruguay, ranked 16th by FIFA, could not impose themselves on their 61st-ranked opponents in the opening 45 minutes.

With Federico Valverde and Darwin Núñez to the fore, Uruguay saw more of the ball but failed to take their clear openings. The absence of Ronald Araújo and Brian Rodríguez through injury affected Bielsa's balance, particularly in defence and out wide.

In the second half, Uruguay are expected to step up the pressure in search of an equaliser and the lead, while Saudi Arabia look to protect this surprise scoreline with a compact defence. The outcome of this group opener is crucial for both teams' tournament journeys. If Saudi Arabia can carry this advantage through the full 90 minutes, they could pull off one of the first big shocks of the tournament.

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