World Cup live updates: Traffic woes abound as fans head to Saudi Arabia v. Uruguay

The day has come: South Florida is hosting its first FIFA World Cup match with Uruguay and Saudi Arabia scheduled to kick off at 6 p.m. on Monday at Hard Rock Stadium (which has been renamed Miami Stadium and stripped of all non-FIFA corporate branding for the duration of the five-week tournament).

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The Miami Herald will keep you updated on what is going on inside the stadium as soon as the gates open in this live updates blog.

Traffic is already a mess

Traffic on I-95 and the interchange to the Florida Turnpike was bumper to bumper at 1 p.m. Ongoing construction worsened the situation, but shortly after the interchange, traffic eased.

Here’s what to know about road closures:

The following roads will be closed on all match days unless your vehicle has a valid FIFA parking pass for that day’s match: Turnpike 2X Ramp and Exit (both northbound and southbound) NW 199th St. between NW 27th Ave. and NW 14th Ct. Additionally, the following roads will be closed 1 hour after each match begins until post-game traffic clears: NW 27th Ave. between NW 203rd St. and NW 199th St. Turnpike northbound between Golden Glades and 2X Exit.

— Vinod Sreeharsha and Michelle Kaufman

If you have a ticket

To start, we have a comprehensive guide with everything you need to know about today’s match for those that have a ticket with tips getting to the stadium, parking, what kind of bags you can bring inside, what kind of instruments, flags and signs you can bring into the stadium — anything you can think of.

Read the story: Going to Uruguay vs Saudi Arabia World Cup game? Here’s everything you need to know

Watch parties

For the rest of us mere mortals who plan to watch the match on a screen, there are so many options around town to watch with soccer fans, from the official Fan Fest in Bayfront Park, to local municipal watch parties to parties hosted at local bars and restaurants that feature food and drink specials.

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Read the full stories:

Looking for a World Cup watch party in Miami? See list of free community events

How to watch the World Cup in Miami away from the stadium. See the choices

World Cup is here! What you need to know about Miami Fan Fest, transportation

But can you still get tickets?

If you want to see a World Cup match in Miami, Saudi Arabia v. Uruguay may be your best bet. This matchup is the least expensive of the local matches to attend. As of Friday, tickets: Prices are $417 to $8,637 on StubHub and $427 to $10,490 on SeatGeek.

Read the full story: Are World Cup tickets available in Miami — and at what price? Check now

What do you need to know about the teams before the game?

Take a look team history, players to watch and where FIFA ranks both teams.

Read the full story: Here’s a guide to the seven World Cup teams (and their fans) headed to Miami

How hot is it going to be?

Pretty hot. A heat advisory has been issued for South Florida, with feels-like temperatures of 103 to 107 in Monday’s forecast. The National Weather Service advisory will be in effect for Miami-Dade and Broward counties from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. But since the match starts at 6 p.m., fans commuting will feel the worst of it.

Read the full story: Heat advisory issued for South Florida. It could feel like 107 on World Cup day

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