CONMEBOL has imposed suspensions and fines on several Uruguayan players for fighting fans at Charlotte’s Bank of America Stadium following their Copa America semi-final defeat to Colombia in July, with the harshest punishment imposed on Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez.
Nunez received a five-match suspension and a $20,000 fine, while Rodrigo Bentancur received a four-match suspension and a $16,000 fine. Ronald Araujo, Jose Maria Gimenez and Mathias Olivera were each given a three-match suspension and a $12,000 fine.
The suspension only covers national team matches, so all five players will miss the upcoming friendly against Guatemala and the World Cup qualifiers against Paraguay and Venezuela in September. Bentancur and Nunez will also serve a qualifier against Peru in October, while Nunez will end his suspension by missing a qualifier against Ecuador that month. At club level it doesn’t affect them.
In July, shortly after their semi-final defeat, the players entered the stands to confront the Colombian fans, who they said created an unsafe environment for the loved ones of the Uruguayan team in the same section. The players were seen throwing punches and objects at fans, while Gimenez said the Copa America venues did not have enough security details to protect their families.
The players were all cleared to play for Uruguay a few days later in their third-place match, in which they defeated Canada on penalties after a 2–2 draw. Nunez, Bentancur and Gimenez all started that game, with Bentancur scoring in regulation time and converting a penalty in the shootout.
CONMEBOL’s suspensions could put a dent in Uruguay’s World Cup qualifying campaign, which got off to a strong start last year. They currently sit second in the ten-team South American rankings with four wins and are only two points behind Argentina. Uruguay’s World Cup qualifying record includes impressive victories over Brazil and Argentina last fall, games in which Nunez and Araujo were on the scoresheet.
Uruguay may have enough of a cushion as up to seven teams from South America can qualify for the 2026 World Cup. They would normally be the favorites in their upcoming matches, but it is unclear whether the depleted squad will struggle without a big part of their team.