Spain and Cape Verde face off in 2026 World Cup opener

Spain and Cape Verde face each other at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta at 19:00 for their opening Group H match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. This match marks the first-ever meeting between the two nations, with Spain entering as the European champion and favorite in a group that also includes Uruguay and Saudi Arabia. Spain's coach, Luis de la Fuente, has opted to start with Unai Simon, Llorente, Cubarsi, Laporte, Cucurella, Rodri, Fabian, Pedri, Ferran, Gavi, and Oyarzabal, while Lamine Yamal remains on the bench. Pedro Leitao Brito, the coach of Cape Verde, has selected a starting lineup featuring Vozinha, Borges, Lopes, Cabral, Moreira, Pina, Jovane Cabral, Monteiro, Duarte, Livramento, and Mendes. Notably, players including Garry Rodrigues and Willy Semedo are among the substitutes for Cape Verde. This tournament is historic as it is the first time the Spanish national team has no players from Real Madrid on its roster. For Cape Verde, this game represents their first appearance in a FIFA World Cup final tournament.