Uruguay Picks Luxury Mayakoba Resort as World Cup Base Camp in Riviera Maya

Uruguay's national soccer team has set up shop at the Mayakoba resort complex in the Riviera Maya, choosing the swanky Quintana Roo destination as its base camp for the 2026 World Cup.

The two-time World Champions arrived this week and settled into the property, which sits along the Caribbean coast south of Cancun. Quintana Roo Governor Mara Lezama visited the camp to welcome the delegation, meeting with Uruguayan Football Association president Ignacio Alonso Labat and greeting players including Atletico Madrid's Jose Maria Gimenez, Real Madrid captain Federico Valverde, Barcelona captain Ronald Araujo, and Club America's Sebastian Caceres.

Lezama toured the training facilities, which were upgraded to international standards for the tournament, and touted the state's infrastructure, connectivity, and service quality as reasons why top national teams keep choosing the Mexican Caribbean for their World Cup preparations.

The governor was accompanied by state Tourism Secretary Bernardo Cueto Riestra and Playa del Carmen Mayor Estefania Mercado.

Uruguay's presence has generated significant buzz in the area, particularly among the Uruguayan community living in and visiting Quintana Roo. Fans have been gathering near the team hotel since the squad's arrival.

The choice of Mayakoba puts Uruguay in elite company. The resort complex, which includes the Rosewood, Banyan Tree, and Fairmont properties, is one of the most exclusive developments on the Riviera Maya. It's a far cry from the scrappy training camps of World Cups past, and a sign that even mid-tier football federations are now opting for luxury when the tournament comes to their region.

For Quintana Roo, the optics are golden. Every training session, every player Instagram story, every fan selfie at the resort is free advertising for a tourism-dependent state that has been working to position itself as a world-class sports destination. The governor's office made sure to document every moment of the welcome visit.

The tournament kicks off today. Uruguay opens its group stage campaign later this week.