Spain vs Cape Verde FIFA World Cup 2026 Preview: Everything you need to know

World Cup - Grp. H

Atlanta Stadium

Spain vs Cape Verde will kick off on 15 Jun 2026 at 12:00 EST and 16:00 GMT.

Spain vs Cape Verde: Match context

One of the pre-tournament favourites, Spain, meets minnows Cape Verde in a classic David vs Goliath clash in Atlanta. Are there any chances of a surprise in this opening Group H clash?

Who are Spain's coach and key players?

Spain can hurt you from anywhere. Under coach Luis de la Fuente, everything flows through Man City metronome Rodri, who dictates the tempo and acts as the team's glue. Teenage phenom Lamine Yamal and exciting Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams provide the wide attacking threat, while experienced Sociedad campaigner Mikel Oyarzabal contributed with six goals in qualifying. Arsenal midfielder Mikel Merino is a huge danger from set pieces, and Barcelona striker Ferran Torres will be the team's focal point.

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Who are Cape Verde's coach and key players?

Forward Dailon Livramento stepped up with four goals in qualifying, including decisive strikes against Angola and Cameroon, to finish as the group's joint-top goalscorer. Cape Verde is under the tutelage of former skipper Pedro Leitão Brito, affectionately known as Bubista. He's been at the helm since 2020 and will rely on a disciplined defensive shape if his side is to spring a surprise or two in the Americas.

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Spain 26-man squad

Goalkeepers: Unai Simon (Athletic Bilbao), David Raya (Arsenal), Joan Garcia (Barcelona).

Defenders: Marcos Llorente (Atletico Madrid), Marc Pubill (Atletico Madrid), Pedro Porro (Tottenham), Aymeric Laporte (Athletic Bilbao), Eric Garcia (Barcelona), Pau Cubarsi (Barcelona), Marc Cucurella (Chelsea), Alejandro Grimaldo (Bayer Leverkusen).

Midfielders: Rodri (Manchester City), Martin Zubimendi (Arsenal), Mikel Merino (Arsenal), Pedri (Barcelona), Gavi (Barcelona), Fabian Ruiz (Paris St-Germain), Alex Baena (Atletico Madrid).

Forwards: Yeremy Pino (Crystal Palace), Victor Munoz (Osasuna), Mikel Oyarzabal (Real Sociedad), Ferran Torres (Barcelona), Lamine Yamal (Barcelona), Dani Olmo (Barcelona), Nico Williams (Athletic Bilbao), Borja Iglesias (Celta Vigo).

Spain's Road to the World Cup

The defending European champions sailed through the UEFA qualification stage, securing their ticket to North America with an unbeaten record.

Cape Verde 26-man squad

Goalkeepers: Vozinha (Chaves), Marcio Rosa (Montana), CJ dos Santos (San Diego).

Defenders: Stopira (Torreense), Roberto Lopes (Shamrock Rovers), Joao Paulo (FCSB), Diney (Al Bataeh), Logan Costa (Villarreal), Steven Moreira (Columbus Crew), Wagner Pina (Trabzonspor), Sidny Lopes Cabral (Benfica), Kelvin Pires (SJK).

Midfielders: Jamiro Monteiro (PEC Zwolle), Kevin Pina (Krasnodar), Deroy Duarte (Ludogorets), Telmo Arcanjo (Vitoria Guimaraes), Laros Duarte (Puskas Akademia), Yannick Semedo (Farense).

Forwards: Ryan Mendes (Igdir), Garry Rodrigues (Apollon Limassol), Willy Semedo (Omonia), Jovane Cabral (Estrela Amadora), Gilson Tavares (Akron Tolyatti), Dailon Livramento (Casa Pia), Helio Varela (Maccabi Tel Aviv), Nuno da Costa (Istanbul Basaksehir).

Cape Verde's Road to the World Cup

The "Blue Sharks" topped an incredibly tough African qualifying group to book their ticket to North America, sealing their first-ever World Cup appearance in the country's history. It's a true fairytale story, which was underpinned by a solid home record, which included a decisive triumph over Cameroon.

Team news & squads

Spain vs Cape Verde Probable lineups

Spain

ESP

Formation

Cape Verde

CPV

Cape Verde

CPV

Manager

• L. de la Fuente

No injuries or suspensions have been listed for Spain ahead of this fixture. Luis de la Fuente has not confirmed a probable starting XI. Notably, Lamine Yamal was absent for Spain's final warm-up match against Peru but has since been formally cleared and is available for the opening group game. Further team news updates will be added closer to kick-off.

Cape Verde head coach Bubista has also not yet confirmed a probable lineup, and no injuries or suspensions are currently listed for the Blue Sharks. Updates will be provided as they become available.

Form

Spain head into the tournament with a mixed but ultimately encouraging recent record: three wins, two draws, and no defeats across their last five matches. Their most recent outing was a 3-1 win over Peru on June 9, a result that extended Oyarzabal's run of scoring in consecutive internationals to six. Prior to that, they drew 1-1 with Iraq on June 4. Spain also beat Serbia 3-0 and drew 0-0 with Egypt in March, and drew 2-2 with Turkey in World Cup qualifying back in November. Across those five games, Spain scored ten goals and conceded four.

Cape Verde arrive with three wins and two losses from their last five matches. Their most recent result was a 3-0 win over Bermuda on June 6, and they also beat Serbia 3-0 on May 31. A 1-1 draw with Finland in March was recorded as a win in the data. They lost 4-2 to Chile and 1-1 to Egypt earlier in the cycle. The Blue Sharks have shown they can produce strong results against varied opposition, though their defensive record across the five games reflects some inconsistency.

Head-to-Head Record

No head-to-head data is available for Spain vs Cape Verde in the provided dataset. Official records will be updated as further information becomes available.

Standings

In Group H, Cape Verde sit top of the table ahead of Spain, who are currently third, though both sides are yet to play a match at the 2026 World Cup.