Spain vs Cabo Verde Preview: Team News & Prediction | FIFA World Cup 2026 | Group Stage
European champions Spain kick off their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign in perhaps the biggest mismatch on paper as La Roja face debutants Cabo Verde.
Kick-off date/time:
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Spain preview: Slick Spaniards
Luis de la Fuente's Spain come into this one on the back of a convincing FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifying campaign back in the autumn, going unbeaten and only dropping points in their final game against Turkiye.
La Roja are the European champions, having been sublime throughout their UEFA EURO 2024 campaign but De la Fuente has been dealt a different deck of cards with his squad and the likely starting eleven could be very different from what it was a couple of years ago, with Robin Le Normand, Dani Carvajal and Alvaro Morata among those to have been left out, Nico Williams struggling for form and Fabian Ruiz regaining absolute 100% sharpness after an injury-hit campaign.
The Spanish have endured a fairly underwhelming build-up in terms of their pre-tournament friendlies. Following a goalless draw with Egypt in March, they shared a 1-1 draw with Iraq in the immediate build-up to the tournament before then beating Peru by three goals to one last week.
Cabo Verde preview: Debutant minnows
Cabo Verde have reached their first FIFA World Cup ever after edging past Cameroon with a historic and impressive result. Cape Verde do still, though, head into the tournament as one of the weaker sides in a tough group alongside Uruguay and Saudi Arabia.
Bubista and his Cape Verde side were solid enough during the November international break after securing qualification as they shared goalless draws with IR Iran and then Egypt but they were beaten on penalties in both friendlies, with the games showcasing their defensive capabilities but attacking limitations. They played with more intent in their FIFA Series in March as they were beaten 4-2 by Chile before a 1-1 draw against Finland.
Their performances in the build-up to this tournament will have given them a fair bit of confidence in terms of that attacking intent paying off as they hammered Serbia by three goals to nil before then winning by the same scoreline against a Bermuda side that did make it through to the third round of CONCACAF qualification for FIFA World Cup 2026.
Spain team news: The Lamine Yamal doubt
It had seemed as though Lamine Yamal would play no part in Spain's opening game. It then appeared that he would be available for a part of it but now it is beginning to seem as though the Barcelona winger may even start their opener against Cabo Verde, albeit that has to remain a doubt.
Luis de la Fuente has also said that he expects Nico Williams to be fit and available for their opener, albeit it could well be he believes the wingers can play a half each - or at least have their minutes managed. They have both returned to training in the build-up to the game.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Simon; Garcia, Cubarsi, Laporte, Cucurella; Rodri, Pedri; Yamal, Olmo, Torres; Oyarzabal
Unavailable:
Questionable: Yamal (Fitness), Williams (Fitness)
Cabo Verde team news: Costa fit
Perhaps their most high profile player in the squad, Villarreal centre-back Logan Costa appears fully fit and available for the FIFA World Cup. He has missed pretty much entirety of the last season due to an ACL injury but he should start here.
There doesn't appear to be any other concerns for Bubista to worry about. It had appeared as though he may go with a back three to be more conservative this summer but the 4-2-3-1 worked so well against the Serbs that it would not be a surprise to see that reprised against Spain.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Vozinha; Stopira, Pico, Costa, S. Cabral; Pina, Arcanjo; Mendes, Monteiro, J. Cabral; Rodrigues
Unavailable:
Questionable:
Spain’s top FIFA World Cup Fantasy assets
Marc Cucurella ($5.1m) – Defender
Pedri ($8.1m) – Midfielder
Lamine Yamal ($10.0m) – Midfielder
Matchday 1 captain pick: Lamine Yamal
Set-piece duty
Penalties: Mikel Oyarzabal, Lamine Yamal, Ferran Torres, Rodri
Free kicks: Pedri, Lamine Yamal
Corners: Lamine Yamal, Pedro Porro, Pedri, Alejandro Grimaldo
Cabo Verde’s top FIFA World Cup Fantasy assets
Logan Costa ($3.5m) – Defender
Jamiro Monteiro ($4.6m) – Midfielder
Ryan Mendes ($4.9m) – Forward
Matchday 1 captain pick: Ryan Mendes
Set-piece duty
Penalties: Garry Rodrigues, Ryan Mendes
Free kicks: Jamiro Monteiro
Corners: Sidny Cabral
Key stats
- Spain are competing in their 17th FIFA World Cup, marking their 13th consecutive appearance at the global showpiece, having been ever-present since the 1978 edition.
- Spain are one of only eight nations to have won the FIFA World Cup, and they are the latest first-time champions, having claimed their maiden title in 2010 courtesy of a 1-0 victory over the Netherlands after extra time.
- Spain’s last three FIFA World Cup openers have all produced six goals or more: 1-5 v. Netherlands in 2014, 3-3 v. Portugal in 2018, and 7–0 v. Costa Rica in 2022.
- Cabo Verde have qualified for the FIFA World Cup for the first time. They achieved the feat by securing top spot in Group D of the African qualifying tournament ahead of Cameroon – quarter-finalists at the 1990 global showpiece.
- A country of just over 500,000 people, Cabo Verde has become the third-least populous nation to reach the World Cup, after Curaçao who broke the record when they qualified for the 2026 finals, and Iceland which had a population of approximately 340,000 when its national team reached the 2018 finals.
- At 18 years and 337 days, Lamine Yamal could become the second‑youngest Spanish player ever to appear in a FIFA World Cup match, behind Gavi, who was 18 years and 110 days when he played against Costa Rica on 23 November 2022.
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Spain vs Cabo Verde prediction
Cabo Verde have shown both defensive solidity in the autumn and through qualification now matched with quite a bit of attacking intent and quality since then. However, that may not be the best approach for a Spain team that will thrive on space. Dominating the ball and waiting for the opposition to shift or provide an opportunity is the game plan for Luis de la Fuente's side and, however admirably, it may well be that Cabo Verde could play into that. Having thrashed Costa Rica in their opening game at FIFA World Cup 2022, the Spanish racking up another big score seems a decent bet for their opening game in Group H.
Spain vs Cabo Verde betting tip: Spain to score three or more goals
