Spain come into the 2026 FIFA World Cup as favorites to win the tournament, and they kick off their campaign with a match against debutants Cape Verde on Monday night.
The Spanish, who last won the World Cup in 2010, are expected to top Group H which also features South American side Uruguay and Saudi Arabia.
Spain, the second-ranked team globally according to FIFA will take on 67th place Cape Verde in Atlanta, with Saudi taking on Uruguay later at 1AM in Miami.
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It has not been rosy in the last three editions of the global showpiece, with Spain failing to make it past the last 16 in either of the competitions. Luis de la Fuente’s charges have won just once in their last six World Cup games.
Aside from their struggles at the tournament, La Roja are the reigning European champions and were runners-up to Portugal in the 2025 UEFA Nations League.
These statistics make it realistic for Cape Verde to push for an upset here, as they make their first ever appearance at a World Cup. The tiny nation with an estimated 700,000 population are hoping to become the first CAF side to reach the knockout stages on their debut since Ghana in 2006.
Cape Verde won six of their last seven qualifying matches and will need to be at their very best if they are to get off to a good start here in Atlanta.
Can we expect a dominant performance from Spain to get their Group H campaign off to a winning start, or can the minnows from Africa cause one of the most major upsets in the tournament’s history? Here is our predicted outcome.
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5.0/5
What time does Spain vs Cape Verde start?
The game is scheduled to kick off at 7PM E.A.T at the Mercedes Benz Stadium.
Spain vs Cape Verde team news
There are a couple of major injury concerns for the Spanish ahead of kick-off with Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams sitting out their final match ahead of the finals. The duo is expected to be fit for the second match against Saudi Arabia.
Victor Munoz returned to training recently but is also expected to settle for a place on the bench here.
Mikel Oyarzabal and Pedri were both on target against Peru last week and will both start here, in support of Ferran Torres in a lone attacking role.
David Raya is set to start in between the sticks, with Unai Simon settling for a place on the bench – with Pau Cubarsi and America Laporte being the main components of the Spanish defense.
Omonia Nicosia forward Willy Semedo will lead the attacking line for Cape Verde, after scoring against Bermuda in their final warm up friendly.
It will be interesting to see whether Nuno Da Costa will be handed a start here to support Semedo up front, or if he will have to start on the sidelines.
The rest of the side will remain unchanged from the XI that beat Bermuda a week ago.
Spain vs Cape Verde head-to-head and current form
La Roja bring a 10-game unbeaten streak into this match, however they have only won twice in their last five games – drawing three times. Their most recent match was a 3-1 victory against Peru last Tuesday.
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They face a Cape Verde side seeking a fourth consecutive win here. They followed up wins against Finland and Serbia with a 3-0 thrashing of Bermuda in preparation for the finals.
This will be the first ever match between these two nations.
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5.0/5
Current form:
Spain – WDDWD
Cape Verde – WWWLL
Spain vs Cape Verde prediction
Spain boast a better record ahead of the match and more pedigree in this competition, giving them the edge ahead of this test. The quality of players in their side definitely outweighs their opponents and an opening day win is highly expected.
Cape Verde can be expected to get a result in the group stages but more likely against the other lower ranked opposition.
Prediction – Spain to win + over 1.5 goals
