Uruguay suffered a major setback following their 1-0 defeat to Spain in what was their final opportunity to secure a place in the knockout stage. Had they managed to win, qualification would have been within their grasp.Uruguay's loss against Spain sent the two-time world champions crashing out of the tournament at the group stage. (AP)However, the loss instead sent the two-time world champions crashing out of the tournament at the group stage. Now, another development has emerged that is unlikely to be welcomed within the Uruguay camp.Uruguay team denied charter servicesFollowing elimination from a tournament, teams are typically permitted, and often expected, to return home together using arrangements made by their national federation. Uruguay would likely have anticipated a similar plan after their group-stage exit.However, a surprising twist has emerged, with the Uruguayan Football Association reportedly deciding not to provide charter flight services for the national team squad.As a result, players and staff may now have to rely on commercial flights for their journey back home.Martin Charquero, a football journalist based in Montevideo, Uruguay reported the federation’s decision to cancel the charter.“The AUF decided to cancel the charter. Each soccer player will return on commercial flights,” Charquero wrote on X, sharing a photo of the national team taken before kickoff against Cape Verde.Also read: Iran captain Mehdi Taremi launches scathing attack on FIFA and Gianni Infantino: 'The World Cup is a disaster'That match ended in a 2-2 draw and ultimately proved to be a pivotal result in determining Uruguay’s World Cup fate later.What possibly forced this decisionMore details surrounding the move have yet to emerge, but the federation’s decision could be viewed as a firm response to Uruguay’s disappointing campaign, which ended without a place in the Round of 32.Given that the group also featured tournament debutants Cape Verde and Saudi Arabia, many had expected veteran coach Marcelo Bielsa’s side to comfortably secure a knockout berth, even if only by finishing second in the standings.Instead, the South American nation, who finished fourth in the CONMEBOL qualifiers and even recorded a victory over Argentina during that run, failed to win a single match at the tournament, resulting in an early and unexpected exit.Uruguay finished third, facing eliminationUruguay ultimately finished third in their group behind Spain and Cape Verde. However, any hopes of advancing as one of the tournament’s best third-placed teams were dashed, as they managed to collect only two points from draws against Saudi Arabia and Cape Verde.Also read: Cape Verde prove the World Cup belongs to dreamers tooThat tally left them with no realistic path to qualification, as the current cutoff for advancing as one of the best third-placed teams stands at a minimum of three points.