Uruguay arrive at the 2026 World Cup carrying the weight of a founding nation. This is their 15th appearance, and no country has a deeper claim to the tournament's origins: they hosted and won the inaugural edition in 1930, then repeated the feat in 1950 with a famous victory over Brazil at the Maracanã, a result still known in Brazil as the Maracanazo. Two titles from their first four appearances set a standard that has proven difficult to approach since, with fourth place finishes in 1954, 1970, and 2010 representing their best results in the decades that followed.

Uruguay booked their place at the 2026 tournament on 09/04/25, clinching qualification with a three nil home win over Peru at the Estadio Centenario in Montevideo, with goals from Rodrigo Aguirre, Giorgian de Arrascaeta, and Federico Viñas. Under manager Marcelo Bielsa, they finished fourth in the CONMEBOL round robin on 28 points from 18 matches, with seven wins, seven draws and four defeats. It was their fifth consecutive World Cup appearance, built on a campaign that combined defensive solidity with a new generation of players stepping out of the long shadows cast by Luis Suárez and Edinson Cavani.