Spain head into the World Cup on a positive note after rounding off their preparations with a convincing 3-1 victory over Peru in Puebla, Mexico, while attention now turns to what promises to be one of the tournament’s most intriguing groups. ALSO READ: Goldman Sachs model tips Spain to win 2026 World Cup ahead of France and Argentina.
European champions Spain overcame several notable absences to secure a comfortable win on Monday. Mikel Oyarzabal (main image) needed only two minutes to put Luis de la Fuente’s side ahead before Pedri doubled the advantage in the 32nd minute.
Spain extended their lead shortly after the break when Peru goalkeeper Pedro Gallese inadvertently turned the ball into his own net in the 53rd minute. Jairo Vélez pulled one back for Peru in the 66th minute, but the result was never seriously in doubt as La Roja completed their final World Cup warm-up in style.
Spain were without several key players, with Lamine Yamal, Nico Williams and Víctor Muñoz all absent through injury and remaining at the team’s training base in Tennessee. ALSO READ: Spain heads to World Cup without any Real Madrid players as Barça dominates squad.
De la Fuente has expressed optimism that all three could be available for Spain’s opening World Cup match against Cape Verde in Atlanta on Monday 15 June (kick-off 6pm Spanish time).
Yamal, Barcelona’s teenage star, has not featured since suffering a left hamstring injury on 22 April, but Spain will hope to have one of world football’s brightest talents available as their campaign begins. ALSO READ: Lamine Yamal, aged 16, makes history at Euro 2024: ‘I only ask to win, win, win.’
After facing Cape Verde, Spain will remain in Atlanta to take on Saudi Arabia on Sunday 21 June (kick-off 6pm Spanish time) before concluding the Group H stage against Uruguay on Saturday 27 June in Guadalajara, Mexico (kick-off 2am Spanish time).
Group H Preview
World Cup Group H brings together a fascinating mix of established powers and ambitious outsiders, with European champions Spain and two-time world champions Uruguay entering as the favourites, while Saudi Arabia and tournament debutants Cape Verde will be hoping to upset the odds.
The standout fixture of the group is expected to be the 27 June (2am Spanish time) showdown between Spain and Uruguay in Guadalajara. Despite the stature of both nations, they have met only twice before at the World Cup, with both encounters ending in draws, in 1950 and 1990.
Atlanta will host Spain’s first two group matches against Cape Verde and Saudi Arabia, while Uruguay’s opening fixtures will take place in Miami. Cape Verde and Saudi Arabia will meet in Houston in the group’s only match not involving one of the favourites.
Spain
Spain arrive in the United States as one of the tournament’s leading contenders after a remarkable resurgence under De la Fuente.
Following a disappointing round-of-16 exit to Morocco at the 2022 World Cup, Spain responded by winning Euro 2024 and lifting the Nations League trophy in 2023 before finishing runners-up to Portugal in the 2025 Nations League. ALSO READ: Spain beat England 2-1 to win Euro 2024 – and Carlos Alcaraz wins Wimbledon.
However, despite their recent success, Spain have not progressed beyond the last 16 of a World Cup since winning their only global title in South Africa in 2010.
De la Fuente, who previously guided Spain’s youth teams, has overseen the national team’s revival since replacing Luis Enrique after the Qatar tournament.
Much of Spain’s hopes rest on an exciting Barcelona core. Yamal is expected to make his World Cup debut if fully fit, while defender Pau Cubarsí has rapidly established himself as one of Europe’s most promising centre-backs. In midfield, Pedri will be a key creative force alongside Manchester City’s Rodri, who has returned after a lengthy spell out with a knee injury.
Cape Verde
Cape Verde will be one of the stories of the tournament after becoming only the third-smallest nation ever to qualify for a World Cup.
The Atlantic archipelago, home to around half a million people, secured one of Africa’s automatic qualification places ahead of established sides including Cameroon and Angola. The Blue Sharks were particularly impressive on home soil, winning all five qualifying matches without conceding a goal.
Pedro Leitao Brito, better known as Bubista, has led the national side since 2020. A former Cape Verde captain and defender, he spent much of his playing career with lower-division clubs in Spain and Portugal.
Although newcomers to the world stage, Cape Verde will be determined to prove they belong among the elite.
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia return for a third consecutive World Cup appearance carrying memories of one of the greatest shocks in tournament history.
The Saudis stunned eventual champions Argentina 2-1 during the group stage in Qatar four years ago, demonstrating their ability to trouble even the strongest opponents.
French coach Hervé Renard, who masterminded that famous victory, is back in charge after a spell with the France women’s national team. He returned to lead Saudi Arabia again in 2024.
The country’s domestic league has attracted global stars such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema in recent years, helping to raise standards and strengthen the national team.
Saudi Arabia’s best World Cup performance came in 1994 when they reached the last 16. Since then, they have failed to advance beyond the group stage in five successive appearances. The nation is also preparing to host the 2034 World Cup.
Uruguay
Uruguay may arrive with questions over recent form, but few teams can match their pedigree.
The South Americans qualified fourth from CONMEBOL, finishing behind Argentina, Ecuador and Colombia but ahead of Brazil.
While Uruguay failed to progress beyond the group stage in 2022, they reached the quarter-finals in 2018 and the semi-finals in 2010, underlining their ability to perform on football’s biggest stage.
Veteran Argentine coach Marcelo Bielsa has been in charge since 2023, although he has faced growing scrutiny following a series of disappointing friendly results, including a heavy 5-1 defeat to the United States last November. Uruguay are currently without a win in their last four matches.
Even so, Bielsa can call upon a squad packed with quality, including Real Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde, Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo and Manchester United midfielder Manuel Ugarte.
With Spain and Uruguay expected to battle for top spot, Group H appears finely balanced behind them. Saudi Arabia have already shown they can shock the world’s best, while Cape Verde’s remarkable rise suggests they will not simply be making up the numbers.
For Spain, the mission begins on Monday in Atlanta, where the European champions will look to turn recent continental success into a genuine challenge for football’s biggest prize.
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9️⃣° máximo goleador de la @sefutbol
— Selección Española Masculina de Fútbol (@SEFutbol) June 9, 2026
🆚 53 partidos
⚽️ 25 goles (0.47 por partido)
Y tenemos la suerte de que se llama @mikel10oyar y está en nuestro equipo. #VamosEspaña | #CopaMundialFIFA pic.twitter.com/hacComGiAe
🎙️ “Estamos muy satisfechos. Los jugadores han llegado en buen estado y con buen nivel”.
— Selección Española Masculina de Fútbol (@SEFutbol) June 9, 2026
➡️ “Nos queda todavía una semana de preparación, pero estoy muy contento por la actuación del equipo”.
🗣️ Luis de la Fuente, seleccionador nacional#VamosEspaña | #CopaMundialFIFA pic.twitter.com/7MCrZp6w2f
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