Spain Begin World Cup 2026 Campaign Against Debutants Cape Verde in Group H Clash
Spain will look to make a strong start to their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign when they face tournament debutants Cape Verde in Atlanta on Monday in their opening Group H fixture.
La Roja, led by head coach Luis de la Fuente, enter the competition as one of the outright favourites alongside France, buoyed by their status as reigning European champions after winning Euro 2024.
Despite their pedigree and a World Cup triumph in 2010, Spain will be eager to erase recent disappointments on the global stage, having exited in the group stage in 2014 and falling short in the round of 16 in both 2018 and 2022.
They arrive in strong form, unbeaten in their last 10 matches across all competitions, including a 3-1 friendly win over Peru, and are widely expected to dominate Group H, which also includes Saudi Arabia and Uruguay.
Cape Verde Make Historic World Cup Debut
Opponents Cape Verde are making their first-ever appearance at a World Cup finals after a strong qualification campaign that saw them finish ahead of Cameroon.
The “Blue Sharks” come into the tournament in encouraging form, winning their last three matches, including friendly victories over Serbia and Bermuda, and will be aiming to compete respectably in their group.
While they are clear underdogs, Cape Verde will hope to draw confidence from their recent results and target potential surprises against Saudi Arabia and Uruguay in the fight for qualification places.
Team News
Spain are expected to rotate carefully, with young stars Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams likely to start on the bench despite returning to full fitness. Key midfielders Rodri, Pedri, and Fabián Ruiz are set to anchor the team, while Ferran Torres and Mikel Oyarzabal are expected to feature in attack.
Cape Verde have no injury concerns heading into the match. Veteran forward Ryan Mendes, their all-time top scorer, is expected to lead the line alongside Dailon Livramento, while Logan Costa anchors the defence.
Expected Lineups
Spain (possible XI):
Simón; Porro, Cubarsí, Laporte, Cucurella; Fabián Ruiz, Rodri, Pedri; Ferran Torres, Oyarzabal, Baena
Cape Verde (possible XI):
Vozinha; Moreira, Costa, Pico, Paulo; Semedo, Pina; Mendes, Monteiro, Cabral; Livramento
Match Outlook
Spain enter the fixture as overwhelming favourites, with expectations of a controlled and dominant performance. Cape Verde’s resilience and recent form suggest they could compete in spells, but the gulf in quality remains significant.
Prediction: Spain 3–0 Cape Verde
