Puerto Rico defeated Uruguay 40:32 in the World Cup on Friday evening, 31 August 2026. The hosts held a narrow advantage throughout, though the margin never stretched beyond eight points. What mattered most were the moments when Puerto Rico controlled the glass and Uruguay struggled to clear the ball.
The visitors shot more accurately from distance, converting 15 of 35 three-point attempts compared to 9 from 26 for Puerto Rico. But the home side made up for it at the rim, pulling 13 offensive rebounds to Uruguay's five. That extra possession proved decisive, as Puerto Rico scored 40 points from 28 field goals while Uruguay managed 32 from 25 attempts.
Puerto Rico's ball movement was sharper, with 24 assists to Uruguay's 19. They also dominated defensively with 27 defensive rebounds and 4 blocks, though Uruguay's 2 blocks and 1 steal kept things competitive. Turnovers told another story entirely — Puerto Rico coughed up the ball 17 times against 13 for the visitors, but couldn't capitalise on those mistakes.
The result extends Puerto Rico's recent struggles. They have lost four of their last five matches, including a 75:89 defeat to Argentina on 27 August. Uruguay, meanwhile, comes off a heavy 94:103 loss to the Bahamas on the same date, though they had beaten Panama 93:60 in their previous meeting.
Personal fouls added up quickly, with Puerto Rico picking up 25 compared to 21 for Uruguay. The difference didn't change the outcome — Puerto Rico converted 10 of 19 free throws while Uruguay made 15 from 23. The home side's ability to draw contact and convert when it mattered kept them ahead.
