The U.S. men’s national soccer team (USMNT) successfully arrived in Miami on Friday despite a nationwide ground stop that disrupted air travel. The team is set to play Haiti in the first leg of the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal at Nu Stadium on Saturday.
A spokesperson for U.S. Soccer confirmed that the team’s flight from Atlanta landed before the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced the ground stop due to safety concerns arising from an air traffic control issue.
The FAA’s directive, issued on Friday afternoon, instructed all departing aircraft to remain grounded until further notice, citing extraordinary circumstances. U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin later clarified that the disruption was linked to a telecommunication outage.
Mullin indicated that restoring normal flight operations would take “some time,” acknowledging the complexity of the situation. “This isn’t going to just be resolved and turned around within the hour,” he stated. He reassured the public that all flights were accounted for and that safety remained a priority.
Prior to their flight, the USMNT had spent the week training at the U.S. Soccer National Training Center just south of Atlanta. The matchup against Haiti marks a critical game for the team in the ongoing tournament.
As of late Friday afternoon, officials were working to resolve the issues affecting air traffic, but passengers were cautioned that delays could continue. The USMNT and its supporters will be closely watching developments as the game approaches.
