Uruguay Picks Playa del Carmen for World Cup Base

Playa del Carmen, Mexico — The Uruguayan national football team has selected Playa del Carmen as its preferred training base for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, citing a combination of sporting, logistical, and recovery-related advantages that align with the team’s group-stage schedule across North America.

According to the Uruguayan Football Association (AUF), Playa del Carmen was chosen after an evaluation of five candidate locations in Mexico and the United States. It was the only site that met all technical, operational, and privacy requirements set by Uruguay’s coaching staff and federation leadership.

Final approval now rests with FIFA, which is expected to confirm base camp allocations shortly. Under tournament rules, the only scenario that could displace Uruguay would be a higher-ranked national team requesting the same facilities.

In an official statement, the AUF said the decision reflects a “comprehensive vision” focused on performance optimization, physical recovery, logistics, and overall well-being—factors considered critical during a tournament spanning multiple countries and time zones.

If Playa del Carmen is not approved, Uruguay has identified backup options in the United States, including Tampa, Atlanta, Boca Raton, and Austin, each meeting similar standards for security, training quality, and player comfort during an anticipated 30-day stay.

The choice of Playa del Carmen also fits Uruguay’s competitive roadmap. Uruguay national football team will open the group stage in Miami with matches against Saudi Arabia and Cape Verde, before closing in Guadalajara against Spain—a high-profile fixture already generating strong international interest.

For Playa del Carmen, the selection underscores the city’s growing profile as a high-performance sports destination ahead of the 2026 World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by Mexico, the United States, and Canada.